Inspiring video's of Rossini's fun music!

Enjoy some pieces done by Gioachino Antonio Rossini! The composer of the Blue Bugs' puppet show, Fox Hunt!

Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia) Overture - An Italian comedic opera


And a performance by good ol' Bugs and Elmer :)


William Tell (Guillaume Tell) Overture Finale or Let's Play Music's Fox Hunt!

Puppet Show - "Hoedown"!

Aaron Copland

In the 2nd year of Let's Play Music, we study a piece by Aaron Copland! He was born, the last of 5 children, in New York in 1900. He learned to sing and play the piano from his oldest sister, Laurine. At 11 years old, Copland wrote his first opera! When he was 15 years old, he decided that he would become a composer. He composed many songs inspired by poetry and art work of the 1920s. When he was older, his compositions were inspired by movies and politics. He liked to paint pictures with his music. Our Hoedown puppet show comes from a ballet call, "Rodeo".

It's fun for the kids to see what instruments are playing each theme. How 'bout that marimba?!

Johann Strauss

Johann Strauss

Johann Strauss was born in Germany in 1825. His father was a horn player in a famous orchestra and Strauss loved to learn about music at the opera house and from his father. He started writing music when he was 6 years old. He loved to write operas and even married a soprano opera singer. He also wrote waltzes and other dance songs. Strauss became a famous conductor. A "Galop" is a dance, named after a quick running horse. Strauss calls his piece, "Banditen-Galopp" (Galop of the Bandits). In Purple Magic, this piece comes alive as ice skaters have fun showing off their skills in our puppet show, "Skaters"!

Puppet Show - Waltz of the Flowers

The Red Balloons have been performing a puppet show to Waltz of the Flowers! Waltz of the Flowers is a piece in the familiar ballet The Nutcracker, usually appearing around Christmas time. The video doesn't have a caterpillar, bird, or a mean cloud, but I think you're children will still love it! 

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 

Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer of the Romantic era. (May 7, 1840 - November 6, 1893). Doesn't the music and ballet just sound romantic?

Gioachino Antonio Rossini

Happy Birthday, Rossini!

Leap day, 1792

Gioachino Antonio Rossini was born on February 29, 1792. Leap day!! He was born in Italy to a family of musicians. His father played the horn and his mother was a singer. He was just six years old when he joined his father's band - he played the triangle. When he was only 10 years old, he was asked often to play the piano and sing at their church. At that age, he began composing and soon became the most celebrated composer of Italian Opera. The Blue Bugs' new puppet show, "the Fox Hunt" is from the Opera, William Tell. He and Verdi were friends!

PROKOFIEV - Romeo & Juliet - Ballet

Or, in the 3rd year of Let's Play Music, Monsters puppet show!
I loved this! But kinda missed the drama of the alligator chomp :)