As I’ve written about previously, our family loves the Babies Proms at the Sydney Opera House. This week we very happily trotted down to see the latest one, Tubby The Tuba.
Tubby The Tuba is a lively performance to introduce children to different orchestral instruments. The special nine-piece proms orchestra (comprising a bassoon, flute, piccolo, tuba, two violins, viola, cello, trombone and xylophone) entertainly educated their tiny audience on what the role of a conductor is, what each instrument is and what it does, and the basic concepts of how instruments work together.
Musical terms like melody, tempo and rhythm were covered in a manner that was simple enough for little kids to grasp and absorb, and in a fashion that was fun and engaging.
This is really where Babies Proms shine in children’s entertainment. They carefully blend education and entertainment together to create the perfect show for young children with short attention spans. The shows drip advanced terms and concepts like bread crumbs to their eager audience to nibble on while they’re enjoying dancing and singing, resulting in the kids leaving, thoroughly entertained, and not even realising that they’ve just learned something pretty significant.
After the introduction to the orchestra, it was time for the musicians to tell the story of Tubby the Tuba. Based on the classic 1941 children’s song (also called Tubby The Tuba), the story tells of a tuba who wants a melody of his own. As with all stories, the enjoyment often relies on the skills of the re-teller, and the conductor leading the narrative was masterful in his acting, singing and stage presence.
The performance drew to a close and the musicians came down to meet their young fans and tell them a bit more about their instruments. Getting up close to the instruments and performers is always a highlight for the kids in attendance.
We were all pretty hungry after our musical morning, so we grabbed a $7 kids lunch box from the cafeteria inside the Play House and picnicked with friends in the sun. With the Sydney Harbour Bridge on one side, and the Opera House on the other, we were in for quite a view.
BABIES PROMS: TUBBY THE TUBA
Showing: 5 – 16 August 2015
Suitable for children ages 2 – 5
Tickets on sale from the Sydney Opera House.
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Thank you to the Sydney Opera House for providing us with tickets for reviewing purposes. As always, we are their biggest fans and opinions are my own.
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