They refused to give me normal smiles for the photo.
Both kids have been to a singalong before, at the Kennedy Center in 2009
And Theo went to one with us in 2007, also at the KC.
Until 2008 or 2009, apparently they always did the KC singalong on a Sunday afternoon. People stood in line on Saturday morning to get their free tickets. Theo did fantastically the year we took him as a baby in the afternoon. That was a fun year. Hannah (who introduced the event to us) was here for the semester and she got our tickets for us so that we wouldn't have to wait in line. The conductor is fantastic and it's worth the wait, I think.
Then they changed it to a weeknight starting at 8 pm, and you had to stand in line and pick up your own ticket that same afternoon, which was daunting but we figured we'd try anyway. Ida was 14 months old and Theo was just shy of 3. They actually did pretty well but we left at intermission anyway because we didn't want to tempt fate. Plus Ida had kinda thrown up, but she was still kinda at that age where we were like "is that throw-up or spit-up?" More info than you needed, I know.
We've been to the Kennedy Center one a few other times without kids also.
Anyway about the more local one we went to last night at a neighboring stake--Matt and I went to the same stake center singalong when we first moved here in 2006. Every year since then, I've forgotten to check the date and time until it had already passed. But this year I remembered! Matt wasn't super in the mood and Lars needed to go to bed anyway, so it was just me and the big kids. We had a great time.
The production itself wasn't "professional" like Kennedy Center level but actually I kind of loved that. (Most of the performers probably were professionals in the past or still are.) The soloists were all fantastic. We sat in the third row, and Theo and Ida occupied themselves with either following along with the lyrics in the songbook or checking out the orchestra players in front of us. Or eating Altoids. It helped that it was a very abridged version, less than 90 minutes total.
In the meantime, while the kids cheerfully endured it, I soaked it in. Pregnancy hormones got the better of me and I couldn't keep away tears during my favorite parts. Might I recommend (if you're a Handel's Messiah novice)
-Overture (orchestra)
-For unto us a child is born (chorus)
-Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (soprano) <--my fav part "He is the righteous Savior, and he shall speak peace unto the heathen...he shall speak peace...peace..."
-He shall feed His flock/Come unto Him all ye that labor (alto/soprano) <--this is one that I listen to all year long. Love it.
-Behold the Lamb of God (chorus)
-Surely He hath borne our griefs/And with His stripes we are healed (chorus)
-Hallelujah (chorus) <--gets a bad rap and is overplayed but in the context of the performance it is so good, and especially good in a singalong because it is really easy to sing!
-I know that my Redeemer liveth (soprano)
-Behold, I tell you a mystery/The trumpet shall sound (baritone and trumpet) <--I am obsessed with this one, it never disappoints me, and the baritone and trumpet guy totally rocked it last night.
I like listening to audio recordings of the Messiah, and I often have it playing on the stereo, and I even like hearing live performances. But nothing compares to participating in a singalong. Nothing! I'm glad my parents always took us to singalongs when we were kids and got us firmly entrenched in this beautiful Christmas tradition.
We also decorated our Christmas tree yesterday. So I think I can say that now it's officially officially Christmas.
1 comment:
We went last night too - with Bonny's ward and the McKendricks - Eve had bell choir practice so they didn't go this year. I keep thinking there must be a local church that does a sing along around here, but I couldn't find one.
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