My first opera/operetta was Pirates of Penzance, when I was about 8 or 9. Loved it.

My suggestions are usually performed at Christmas, one for obvious reasons. I think Amahl and the Night Visitors is a great first opera for kids. I took my son when he was in first grade, and I hope to take my first grade daughter this year. It's in English, it's one act and the lead is a child. Plus, it's a great Christmas story, complete with the 3 kings.

Hansel and Gretel is another good one for kids -- I got a "highlights" recording of it for my 6th birthday (I had a "come dressed as your favorite story-book character" party and I was Hansel and had a gingerbread house cake), and I played it into the ground. Got one for my kids a few years back.

Opera
 

I absolutely love Opera and attend at least two performances each year. I am a fan of Verdi (Aida, Falstaff, Rigoletto, A Masked Ball) but tend to lean towards newer productions.

I saw Margaret Garner and it was incredible! I also like Porgy & Bess (when it is done properly).

Children will enjoy Hansel and Gretel and Cinderella. A good opera company will also provide quality educational activities geared toward children as well.

Holy thread bump!

I saw Lohengrin last night at the Lyric, and really enjoyed all five f*cking hours of it. I saw Das Rheingold a few years ago, and loved it, but then shied away from Wagner because pretty much everything else he did is in excess of four hours, and he's not exactly one for really stand-out arias. I may be a convert now, but I still don't think I'll be sitting through the ring cycle any time soon.

~bump~ :D

I hope it doesn't appear that I'm using GreekChat to promote my own accomplishments, but I just thought I'd share. I don't know how much longer I'll be singing this opera stuff, so I decided I'd better at least try to promote the little bit I've recorded.

I hope you guys enjoy ...

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sheilalramseysoprano

What's your favorite.....
Opera? Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart, because there's only one tenor
Composer? I don't really have a favorite; I generally really enjoy opera
Aria? "Smanie implacabili" from Cosi fan tutte. I love singing the song and acting kinda crazy, even if I don't like the character
Singer? Renee Fleming, Mariusz Kwiecien (sang the role of Don Giovanni in the Met in HD production)
CD? I don't have any opera CD's besides a CD version of a really old Carmen recording
Thing about Opera? You can manipulate so many things about the music to convey different emotions and thoughts.


What's your least favorite...
Opera? Wozzeck or I Pagliacci, but only because they both creep me out.
Composer? Don't have one off the top of my head
Aria? Don't have one off the top of my head
Singer? Don't have one yet, and hope to never have one.
CD? My Carmen CD. The recording quality is weird, and the Carmen sounds about 60 years old.
Thing about opera? How someone always needs to die half the time (in tragic opera) :p

Florence Foster Jenkins is the greatest singer who ever lived. I kid, of course, but you have to admire her commitment to her, um, art.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtf2Q4yyuJ0

The overture
http://http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?...%3D6ZPF5mPIpXU