A Message to Parents - Please Do Not Bring Your Little Children To The Opera- Page 3

[gymdudeva]

Posted: 3/5/07 at 7:47pm

It's funny that in threads on this subject on the Net (and I've read quite a few), everyone's own children are quiet angels who love, for example, to attend Mozart concertos, and they themselves as children sat through the Ring cycle without a peep.

Then there's real life...I rarely (esp. these days) see a child who can go more than two minutes without squeeking, fidgeting, moaning, or squawking. Most of the time the parents seem oblivious (I think they have learned to filter out all but the worst instances), so maybe they do think their children are quiet. But just look beside you and open your ears, Mrs. Parent...Junior *IS* making noise and is *NOT* sitting still.

By the way, the couple of times I have dared (nicely) to ask a parent to please control their child, I got yelled at and read the riot act and lectured on how 3-year-olds were just that way and can't be controlled, and told I would just have to deal with it.

I've given up; I just stay away from children ... leave, move, whatever it takes to enjoy my evening/meal/show as planned.

[Urban]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 6:34am

thanks evadiva - I chringe at my typos though!

[chicolini]

Posted: 3/8/07 at 11:22am

The only problem with not bringing kids to the theatre/opera/orchestra/whatever is that they grow up to be the annoying adult audience members we always complain about. It's good to socialize kids and teach them how to behave in certain situations.

I don't know that I'd jump straight into a three hour opera with a young child, but start with local children's theatres and work up from that. In my community orchestra it is common to see kids at our open dress rehearsal. People bring their kids or grandkids to expose them to live music and if they get antsy it's easy for the other spouse to walk them into the lobby.

Of course this all assumes that the parents know how to behave properly in a live performance setting, which isn't guaranteed.