So I wanted to impart a little taste of musical culture to my grandkids. The best defense is a strong offense. I would head the bad guys off at the pass. An aria from Giacomo Puccini’s opera Turandot, namely “Nessun Dorma” (sung by Pavarotti), would be an excellent choice. If you think not, listen to the video below and see if it does not play a chord on your heartstrings.
Opera for Kids 3 & 6?
This decision would prove illuminating. Kids can teach their grandparents things, too. What do you think was the result? Think back to when you were a little child (mine were aged 3 and 6 years).
The next day, my three-year old grandson said, “I like opera.” But my granddaughter said, “I didn’t like it when you made us listen to opera, Papa. It sounded like the man was screaming – LALALA!”
Even so, my granddaughter, now going on eight, goes about the house singing like an opera singer. She won’t sing in front of others due to shyness. But her father takes her to piano lessons with the goal of her eventually taking singing lessons. Evidently listening to opera when she was quite small did make an impression on her.
So I showed her the old Shirley Temple movie, Captain January, where Shirley and her septuagenarian guardians sing a mock of the operatic performance “Chi mi Frena in tal Momento” from Lucia di Lammermoor. Listen and enjoy the comical routine below:
It was loads of fun and I couldn’t stop laughing. I thought my granddaughter would respond in the same way. To my surprise, she responded, “Don’t laugh! I like it.” Fait accomplis!
Note: You might also enjoy Help Your Child Express His Feelings Through Music
I love Nessun Dorma. There are some very famous songs from Opera but I have never watched one all the way through.