In my interview with James Mayhew, he makes several suggestions for introducing children to the arts. One topic in particular caught my attention: Opera. I don’t have a great deal of experience with opera, but I like what I’ve heard. At a summer music festival in our city, the local opera company puts on short fairy tale productions for children. My kids enjoy the demonstration, but I never pursued it as a family activity. I couldn’t actually think of more than one opera suitable for kids. I wrote Mr. Mayhew with a follow-up question, and he kindly provided the following response:

As for opera: The Magic Flute is always a good one, although the story can be rather impenetrable. Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel is an established children’s perennial.

Generally I think that comedies with separate arias and breaks for applause are good (children can fidget during the clapping!). Rossini comedies (“Barber of Seville”,”Cenerentola”), or Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” are all contenders (if slightly romantic). Even Il Trovatore (Verdi) is fun, especially for older boys, with all the blood-letting and rollicking soldiers choruses. I think children need hummable tunes. Janacek, for example, (“Cunning little Vixen”) is tough – the music isn’t melodic enough…

Once kids start looking at Shakespeare (around 10 years old in UK) then Verdi’s Macbeth would be good. I’d avoid romantic tragedies – children have little interest in love stories!

Although rarely done, Rimsky-Korsakov’s fairy tale operas are very appealing. You can easily hear his “Suites for orchestra” online or on CD to get an idea of the music. Try “The Golden Cockeral”, “Tale of Tsar Saltan”, “The Snowmaiden” , “Christmas Eve”… Lovely music, fascinating stories!

I think it’s important to be realistic though. I wouldn’t take tiny children, and I wouldn’t expect an immediate conversion to Grand Opera. But I do think it’s important to allow children to experience these things so that they grow up familiar with this art form, and recognise the music and stories. It was once popular entertainment (like cinema!). In the golden age of Italian opera (19th century), most towns had a theatre and everyone went and sang the hit tunes. Opera singers were like film stars in those days. People forget that, and think it’s all too highly cultured. It doesn’t have to be…it’s still a form of entertainment! And one should never underestimate children.

That gives those of us with limited opera knowledge a few places to start. Thank you once again, Mr. Mayhew!