At the Opera

This afternoon we took Tatum and Niklas to a performance of Gluck’s Orphee et Eurydice at the UW Meany theater put on by UW Music and  Pacific Musicworks.   It’s great that children are free with a paying adult,  (Tatum counted just 12 children , including them. Otherwse, as usual , it’s all grey hairs..particularly at the matinee.!) )   Niklas is taking French in school so this was good —particularly because the French was used in the very creative video backdrop so he could hear and read it.  It’s a good Greek myth…” L’amour Triomphe” that has a happy ending.  I have read and heard that one of the most effective ways to encourage children to LIKE something is pure exposure… no need for lots of teaching beforehand.(that appeals to me)    So that’s what we try to do -expose them to one opera a year.   Not sure we’re making any progress :-) but they are good sports to come with us, as long as the other of them goes too. Had to snap the two at intermission with their snacks outside the theater…the UW Library in the background.    The production was good.. lots of dance (it’s French!) and we have a feeling that it was trying for a Greek drama interpretation.. (I don't know this…have to try to look it up)  with abstract expressionist painting, landscape photos, fire,  and letters/words/patterns  in the backdrop video.