The Royal Opera has announced Mark-Anthony Turnage’s new stagework “Coraline,” an opera for family audiences due for premiere at the Barbican Theatre in March 2018.

The opera will be an adaptation of the much-loved classic fantasy tale by Neil Gaiman.

Aletta Collins will stage the opera with Sian Edwards conducting the Britten Sinfonia. It will be a co-production with Opéra de Lille, Victorian Opera in Melbourne, and Theater Freiburg. The work will be staged in London with generous philanthropic support from The Royal Opera House Endowment Fund.

In a press release, the British composer noted that “the fundamental message beneath the story is that we shouldn’t be afraid to do what we believe is right. Coraline is brave, not because she doesn’t cry or get scared, but because despite these things she still tries her best and doesn’t give up. That’s why I wanted to write ‘Coraline,’ because here’s a message well worth telling; through opera or in any other way.”

The work marks the second Turnage opera commissioned by The Royal Opera, following the acclaimed “Anna Nicole” staged by Richard Jones in 2011 and later released on DVD by Opus Arte. The Royal Opera has further plans with Turnage for another large-scale work for the company’s main stage.

“Coraline” was published in 2002 sweeping numerous awards, including Nebula and Hugo awards for Best Novella. It was later adapted into a film directed by Henry Selick and went on to get nominated for an Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe.