The other morning my two youngest sons were sitting at the table singing about 'nasty nachos'. For a brief moment I thought they'd listened to some horrid rap music and were trying to mimic what they'd heard. I questioned my husband on this and he started laughing. He'd been playing the Marriage of Figaro and they were singing what they heard.
At first I thought it was a terrible way to introduce them to opera. They would never appreciate the true beauty and power of the music. They would think it silly. I changed my mind, however, as I heard them ask to listen to it over and over. As I saw them crowd around the computer with big smiles on their faces. And as I watched them laugh and laugh over what they heard. Here are some examples:
Nasty nachos
Oh pajama!
Hot dog protector
Spaghetti
Potato
Mozart may or may not be mortified at this introduction to his opera. On the one hand he took his music very seriously. And on the other he had a rather quirky sense of humor.
For now, my kids are interested in listening. They find it enjoyable. And I hear them humming the music around the house and singing what they hear.
Marriage of Figaro (also known as Mozart’s Wedding by my 7-year-old)
