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After the discussions concerning unschooling music, I thought I needed to
share an unschooling moment with you.

Over the weekend, we made a trip to Borders (on my crutches - Look Ma, no
wheelchair) and ended up buying Swan Lake on dvd. Saturday my two cherubs
watched it three times, but not the last scene where the prince drowns or
some of the other scary parts. Sunday, the same thing. Except that Nathan
started dancing with the music, leaving the room to go in the "wings",
leaping all over the place. Julia mostly just watches, riveted.

The past four days, this has been their quiet time pick. Not so quiet for my
son, mostly. I'm thrilled they are so interested and can tell me the whole
story of the ballet and reenact it. But at 3 and 4, I'm not going to rush
out and enroll them in ballet classes. Recovering from the broken ankle has
shown me how much ballet formed my legs and feet starting at age 4. My foot
is pointed in the cast. Even under anesthesia the surgeon couldn't
straighten me out.

Any ideas on other ballets (we have asked Santa for the nutcracker for
Christmas) and/or operas to start with?

Elizabeth

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In a message dated 12/4/02 8:59:05 PM, ejcrewe@... writes:

<< Any ideas on other ballets (we have asked Santa for the nutcracker for
Christmas) and/or operas to start with? >>

It's not a ballet, but Cats.
Mr. Mestopheles is a ballet guy.
So's what's her name. (If their name's not in the song, I don't know their
names.)

Gerard Westenberg

<<Any ideas on other ballets (we have asked Santa for the nutcracker for Christmas) and/or operas to start with?>>>

Well- some operettas. My kids have loved these from about age 3 on - Gilbert and Sullivan - esp The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado...Leonie W.





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Tia Leschke

> Any ideas on other ballets (we have asked Santa for the nutcracker for
> Christmas) and/or operas to start with?

Hansel and Gretel is an old fave of mine. Might have something to do with
my grandmother's big production of the angel scene with all of us every
Christmas. <g>
She sang the part of Hansel in Germany. My father was taken to see a
performance when he was around three. As soon as he saw Hansel he shouted,
"See that boy up there on the stage? That's my mommy." (Women often sing
young male parts in opera. They're called trouser roles.)
We're playing the overture for an orchestra concert in a couple of weeks.
Oh, I guess you know now that I like the opera. I think your kids might
too. <G>
Tia

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My first operas were Gilbert and Sullivan, although I think that they ruined
me for "True" opera or more adult opera. They are fun but not such a good
intro to the beauty that opera can have.
I think kids will like to hear The Three Tenors, and now there is a newer
trio called the Three Mo' Tenors. They sing a more Jazzy style, mixing blues,
jazz and opera.
If your local TV stations will show the "Pageant of Peace" White house Xmas
tree lighting, they will be performing. Also on the bill are Sandra's
favorite "new age poofs" Manaheim Steamroller.
Elissa


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Nora or Devereaux Cannon

We have ordered the one below - the review emphasizes the
"educational" benefit, but I know that our little budding
ballerina likes other computer games that let her create a
musical phrase or line and adores Barbie and the Nutcracker, so I
rather think that when Santa leaves this one, it will be a hit:

. The Nutcracker Music Game provides children with a feast.

For children ages 4 to 6, the software offers musical games where
children learn the sounds of each instrument.

But the truly amazing part of this software is the games for
older children.

In the lead game, kids listen to selections from Tchaikovsky's
Nutcracker Suite and then experiment to determine which four of
eight instruments were playing the selection. Because they can
listen to each instruments part individually before they mix
them, kids can experience the process of orchestration.

This musical masterpiece is available at Toys "R" Us or from the
publisher's Web site.

(Five stars) Best for ages 4 and up.

From Music Games International, www.KidsMusicStage.com, for $20.
Windows only.


Gudmundsen, editor of Choosing Children's Software, publishes a
free newsletter at www.ComputingWithKids.com.

mary krzyzanowski

I think "The Sleeping Beauty" is a ballet by Tschiakovsky. The video "The
Swan Princess" is based on Swan Lake but there is no ballet in it.
Mary-NY

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In a message dated 12/4/02 9:58:50 PM, westen@... writes:

<< My kids have loved these from about age 3 on - Gilbert and Sullivan - esp
The Pirates of Penzance>>

All my kids know this one from the video with Kevin Kline, Rex Smith and
Linda Ronstadt.

A couple of years ago Kirby had a batch of visiting kids and made some clever
reference to Pirates of Penzance and they all looked blankly, so he said
"What? You guys don't know Pirates of Penzance?" And he set them down and
showed it to them, telling them what was important and funny and that the
patter song wasn't really originally from that operetta.

I thought to myself: "Genetics." <g>

=Hansel and Gretel is an old fave of mine. =

A school music book my dad had found at a dump when I was ten had a
kid-version of that, and I could play piano well enough to figure out the
tunes, and we did a little play of it in our bedroom. It had no angel song,
though.

Sandra

Tia Leschke

> =Hansel and Gretel is an old fave of mine. =
>
> A school music book my dad had found at a dump when I was ten had a
> kid-version of that, and I could play piano well enough to figure out the
> tunes, and we did a little play of it in our bedroom. It had no angel
song,
> though.

It's the music the orchestra plays while the children are praying and then
falling asleep in the forest while the angels come around and guard them.
Tia

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In a message dated 12/4/02 10:58:45 PM Central Standard Time,
westen@... writes:

> ilbert and Sullivan - esp The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado

gilbert and Sullivan, plus Cats - we're going to be a fun house this winter.
I had thought that the G&S would be too fast for them to understand, but that
seems to be about the same speed as Veggie Tales. My mother in law has a VT
song video, which is the only time my two have seen it. I can never
understand much of the words.

Thanks for the ideas.

Elizabeth

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In a message dated 12/5/02 12:01:47 AM Central Standard Time, leschke@...
writes:

> Oh, I guess you know now that I like the opera. I think your kids might
> too.

I'm not a huge fan, but we are a classical music sort of family. I just
thought the kids would think it's fun, so why not expose them? I'm a little
worried about Hansel and Gretel being too scary for them, they are quite
tender hearted.

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Tia Leschke

> I'm not a huge fan, but we are a classical music sort of family. I just
> thought the kids would think it's fun, so why not expose them? I'm a
little
> worried about Hansel and Gretel being too scary for them, they are quite
> tender hearted.

I only actually saw it once, but I don't think it was scary.
Tia