Magic Flute * * * *

We just got back from a delightful production by Boston Lyric Opera -- "Magic Flute". This was a family version, fully staged in one hour, with English subtitles scrolling on two small screens and a live orchestra. The hall was full of kids, who clapped and yelled, sometimes, over enthusiastically, bravo!

The decorations and the costumes we really great, and the dragon head was just spectacular. Mozart music is always nice, and the singing was good too. Gwyneth actually was able to follow along reading the subtitles for the most part, though, as usual, she knew the story by heart by the time we entered the concert hall.

Gwyneth liked Papageno character and signing, and I --- the Queen of the Night.

Jewels *

When I was buying the Boston Ballet subscription, the girl at the counter highly recommended "Jewels" ballet with lavish costumes and wonderful music. Well, never listen to the girl at the counter!

Even though it is a George Balanchine’s ballet, it was too long, too boring and the costumes were not that great. "Jewels" -- a full length ballet with three parts: Emeralds, Rubies and Diamonds. I normally really enjoy Balanchine but, I think, many aspects of Balanchine style were missing.

First, the “Emeralds” were listless and it was hard to tell what musical point the pas de trois was even trying to make. My daughter had a hard time staying focused and considering the uninspiring costumes, I am surprised she was able to sit through it.

Last ones, "Diamonds" had a little bit more life in them, and the solo's kept some of Gwyneth's attention. A friend of Gwyneth, another 5 year old, just fell asleep...

And the only part that stood out was the middle "Rubies" -- snapper music, bright red costumes; a lot more contrasting movements so the choreography stood out more. That was the one part that Gwyneth's remembered and liked.

All in all, this is not a ballet for a 5 year old, or for a 35 for that matter.

Much I do about nothing *

This was our second foray to Emerson Stage to see "Much I do about nothing" play and considering the overwhelming success of "Little Women" we were both really looking forward to this play. As usual, I explained this classic Shakespeare’s comedic play of love, misunderstanding and obstacles.

However, to my surprise and disappointment, Emerson College modernized the play by placing in in the middle of 1960, with main characters as sports jocks! There were too much of constant movement of scene decorations that left you dizzy, and while the furniture was moved, two hippie characters proclaimed strange, monologues about growing feminist and civil rights movement. Talk about confusing!!!

Gwyneth insisted on sitting through the entire play, just to make sure that Claudio and Hero would get together, but later admitted that musicals are better than some famous Shakespearean play.

Little Women * * * * *

Our first foray into the musical was "Little Women" based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel, on a small, cozy stage at Emerson College. This was the first time we have come to this small stage and because we were a bit late, we ended up sitting right in the front row! There is no "stage" per say and all the actors were signing just in front of us.

It was phenomenal! I had low expectations for a college musical and thought that we might need to sneak out earlier. The singing was wonderful, the costumes very detailed and the actress that played Jo was Gwyneth's favorite. As always I tried to explain the story to Gwyneth before hand, and surprisingly, she was able to follow most of it and emotionally connect to major characters. When one of the sisters dies, Gwyneth was ready to cry.

It was a pretty long production of about 2 hours, but Gwyneth didn't even want to get up during the intermission, as she was afraid she would miss something.

I would highly recommend this musical for a 5year old! Gwyneth keeps asking when can we go again to see Jo.

Museum of Fine Arts * * * *

For the New Year Santa gave Gwyneth a long awaited camera and the second day of the year we decided to go and check out a photography exhibit at MFA to see what camera can capture and bring to life.

There was an exhibit of renowned photographer Yousuf Karsh who photographed a lot of famous people like Winston Churchill (1941), Albert Einstein (1948), Pablo Picasso (1954), Georgia O’Keeffe (1956), Ernest Hemingway (1957), Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy (1960) and Sophia Loren (1981). Gwyneth couldn't relate much to most of these people, however, she did pause and appreciate a photograph of young Queen Elizabeth II and couldn't believe the queens exist in real life and not just fairy tales. On the way home I had to try and unearth anything I could remember on history of England and the country's kings and queens. Thank God, I remembered enough about Henry XIII...

So we wondered around these famous photographs, and on the way out of the exhibit stumbled upon another, contemporary photographic exhibit, which left a much deeper impression on my daughter. The most fascinating and memorable turned out to be about thirty snapshot collage of a person aging one shot at a time. We spent about twenty minutes looking, discussing and guessing on how and why of these pictures.

Nutcracker * *

It became an annual tradition for the last 2 years anyway that Gwyneth's grandmother takes her and a friend to Nutcracker. This year, because she wasn't able to make it I took Gwyneth to the opulent Opera House.

The Tchaikovsky music was delightful, and the costumes were nice, there was a giant ascending Christmas tree and a hot-air balloon that whisks young Clara and her uncle to the Palace of Plum Fairy. There are prancing white reindeer, clowns, a prancing bear and a Rat King.... but I yawned my way through the first act. Gwyneth, who loves ballet and normally sits through almost anything got really bored in second half. She did want to stay till the end and was happily chatting away about the Prince, Clara and the Rat King on our way home. However, after some discussion we decided that she has outgrown it and next year we will look for something else. Maybe it the the known of it, this was her third time seeing it; or she did outgrow it...

Cinderella * * * *

My husband and I have been regularly going to Boston Ballet for the last several years, and often she felt left out, and only once managed to come with me. So this fall for her birthday Gwyneth asked for a subscription to Boston Ballet.

So this year we opened the season with Cinderella.

Whimsical, contemporary with wonderful costumes from around 1920's and with Sergei Prokofiev’s resonant score we both really enjoyed it. Gwyneth's favorite were the "jumping pumpkins", men with pumpkins on their heads jumping in a round circle which represented the clock. And at some point Cinderella dramatically arrived in a pumpkin-carriage...


And it was a resounding success. My five year old was sitting holding her breath most of the time :)