A Festive Colorado Christmas

The symphony concert A Colorado Christmas has become a holiday tradition for Marina and I. This year, we invited Ainsley to join us.The girls decided to wear festive outfits. Marina wore her elf dress. Ainsley had on a red dress which we helped accessorize with a black Santa belt and a cardigan with snowflakes on it.

We decide to check out the Mile High Tree. The tree is a new feature this year that has an interactive light show inside. Marina and Ainsley laid down on the ground to watch the show. They both loved it!

We went into the concert hall for the concert. We checked out the pre show activities. Santa was there, so we got a photo with him. The girls weren’t interested in the activities, so we picked up some warm drinks and sat down.

The concert was fun, as usual. We all enjoyed the music and especially the Sing Along. At intermission we took a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus. After the concert we were able to exit the parking garage quickly, but we ran into traffic, so it took us quite a while to get home. Both girls fell asleep on the drive. So once we arrived at the house, they went right to bed.

Christmas Eve and Other Stories

For a few years now Marina and I have wanted to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra when they perform each November. When the date was announced we already had plans for the evening, so I bought tickets for the afternoon show. We knew it would be a full day.

We left for the concert after lunch. It was a good thing too. When we arrived at the arena we were 45 minutes early, but there was already a huge line to get in. We stood in that line for over half an hour.

Once inside we picked up drinks. Marina said she was hungry, so I got her a hot dog and fries. The concert did not start on time, so she was able to finish it. The man sitting next to us is a huge fan of Trans Siberian Orchestra, so he told us a bit about what to expect.

Once the show started it was incredible. It featured great music with amazing special effects. We both really enjoyed it.

Spooktacular Music

Marina and I have always enjoyed going to the Colorado Symphony’s Halloween Spooktacular in the past. We haven’t always been able to fit it into our schedule however. So this year when they decided to schedule it after Halloween we were able to make it work.

Marina decided to wear her Mulan costume for the show. I wore my new Elsa dress. We left the house early but ran into Bronco traffic downtown. Fortunately, we still arrived on time.

We took a look around the pre show activities. It was jam packed with people so we didn’t stay long. We decided to order chai lattes to drink during the show. The barista decorated the top with Jack O’Lantern faces.

The show was fun. It featured music from Star Wars, Jurassic Park and the Harry Potter movies. There were also a few classical pieces mixed in. Of course, Marina and I enjoyed looking at all the costumes just as much as the music.

I Love Rock and Roll

Marina loves the song “I Love Rock and Roll” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and I’m a fan of the band Heart. Both bands were performing this evening and Marina was very excited. While she has been to concerts before, we’ve never gone together.

We arrived  early but it took us a really long time to get into the building and even longer to get drinks and snacks. We finally got to our seats after the opening act, Elle King, had already started performing. Fortunately we didn’t miss her most famous song, “Exes and Ohs” which Marina really likes.

Next up were Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. They played a fantastic set and I could see Marina jamming along with each song. She was especially happy during “I Love Rock and Roll.” Joan sounded great and her guitarist was incredibly talented.

When Heart took the stage we weren’t quite as into it. While the band sounded good, the songs they picked were unfamiliar and were didn’t feel the same excitement we had with Joan Jett. We were both a bit bored through much of it.

Once the concert ended it was late and we were ready to go home. It had been a very long day.

Lea Salonga Concert

This evening, Marina and I had tickets to see Lea Salonga in concert. Marina knows her as the singing voice of Disney’s Jasmine and Mulan. I was concerned that she might be bored since she wasn’t familiar with much of the music being performed. However, the performances were so good that Marina stayed engaged the whole time. She was especially happy when she sang “Go the Distance” from Hercules and “Reflection” from Mulan. She finished the first act with “I’d Give My Life For You” from Miss Saigon.

After intermission, Lea performed “Burn” from Hamilton. Marina was thrilled. The highlight of the show was when she performed “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. Since it’s a duet, she asked for a volunteer from the audience to sing with her. The guy who she picked turned out to be a very good singer. After the concert we talked with the man who sang on stage. It was fun to hear how excited he was about the experience.

As the concert wrapped up, Lea Salonga thanked everyone for spending Saturday night with her. Marina called out “It’s the best way.” Lea heard and thanked her. As we were leaving, Marina asked me if we could see Miss Saigon when the tour comes to Denver. I told her I was already planning for that.

Princess Christmas Concert

Since Marina is on Winter Break we decided to spend this week having some fun. This morning we had reservations to a Princess Concert. Marina decided to wear her Belle Christmas dress to the party.

We had a bit of car trouble this morning, but we managed to borrow another car to use to get to the venue. We ended up being about half an hour late, but we made it!

When we arrived, the concert had already started. We got hot chocolate and some snacks before settling in to watch. We heard several Christmas songs as well as the signature songs of Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Anna and Elsa. We also go to see Elena of Avalor in her debut.

After the concert was over, Santa came out for photos. A huge line formed to see him, so Marina and I decided to wait. The fairy at the front door told us that the princesses would be arriving at the other end of the hall for photos, so Marina was first in line for that. Many of them remembered her from pervious events.

Marina had a few more snacks as we waited for the crowds to thin out. After a little while, we found the princesses in the room alone, so we got pictures with each one and talked with them for a while. After that, we caught Santa just before he left so Marina could tell him what she wanted for Christmas.

Valentine Concert

When Marina was three, I took her to see pre Broadway tryout of The Little Mermaid. The actress playing the role of Ariel was Sierra Boggess. A few years later, we saw Sierra perform in the 25th anniversary of The Phantom of the Opera. When I saw Sierra was scheduled to sing with the Colorado Symphony, I thought she would enjoy the concert.

The concert was earlier than we are used to. We arrived just in time to find our seats before the show began. Our seats were in the front row, directly in front of Sierra. Marina was impressed. The show was filled with songs from musicals. Marina was most interested in the songs from Disney and The Phantom of the Opera. The rest of the concert didn’t seem as interesting to her.

Once the show was over, we headed home and had a special Valentine’s Day dinner at home. Then we shared a box of chocolates for dessert.

Pixar in Concert

Marina and I have been to many of the symphony concerts where they feature music and animation. So when I saw Pixar in Concert on the schedule, I knew it was one we'd want to see.Marina dressed in her Merida costume, after all, she is the only Pixar princess. She also brought her Merida plush doll.

We arrived a bit early. Marina was pleased with our seats, which were in the first row of the section and directly behind the string section and in clear view of several of the giant screens they had set up.

The show featured a suite from fourteen films accompanied by a visual synopsis. Marina enjoyed watching the scenes from each movie, but her favorite was when they played the music from Brave.

When we came home, Marina picked out Brave to watch while still in her costume.

Holiday Princess Tea Party

After enjoying the Thankful Tea last month, Marina and I were looking forward to this month's tea party with princesses and Santa. Marina decided to wear her Belle Enchanted Christmas dress, even though she knew Belle was not one of the princesses at the tea party. She also decided to bring her baby Anna and Elsa dolls.

We ran into traffic on our way to the party. We were the last to arrive but we did show up before the princesses did. We joined a mother and her two daughters who were somewhat shy. But the three girls were friends by the end of the tea party.

While we were enjoying our peppermint tea, Ariel, Rapunzel, Anna and Elsa arrived. The girls excitement was audible. After greeting everyone, the princesses began a concert of Christmas carols and songs from their movies. They began with "Carol of the Bells" - one of Marina's favorites. They also sang song more familiar to the girls, like "Frosty the Snowman," Let It Snow" and "Jingle Bells" and encouraged everyone to sing along.

After the concert, Santa made an appearance. The girls took turns having their photos taken with the princesses and Santa. We were the last group to go, but that worked out wonderfully for us. Since everyone left after their pictures, we had the princesses and Santa all to ourselves. So Marina was able to talk with the princesses, as she had been dying to throughout the concert. When Marina showed her dolls to Anna and Elsa, they each took their doll and broke into "Do You Want to Build A Snowman?" The whole group even sang "Jingle Bells" with her! We got some great pictures.

It took some convincing to get Marina to leave. She was having so much fun!

Spooktacular

This year, Marina wanted to trick or treat with Ainsley. We made the arrangements to do go with her and her mother, but first we decided to go to the Halloween Spooktacular at the symphony. Marina wore her Harley Quinn costume. Ainsley was dressed as Vanellope Von Sweetz from Wreck It Ralph. We arrived early for the symphony and the girls enjoyed looking at the costumes of all the other kids. We also had fun looking at the costumes of the musicians as they walked on stage.

The concert began with “The Imperial March” from Star Wars and the conducted entered dressed as Darth Vader. W also heard a selection from the ballet Romeo and Juliet and A Night on Bald Mountain, Marina was excited because she knew this piece. After the main theme from Star Wars, the orchestra played the Superman March. During the music, the conductor raced off stage and returned dressed as Superman. The concert ended with Danse Macabre and music from the Harry Potter movies.

Once the show had ended, both Marina and Ainsley said they’d had a good time. It got even better when each was handed a bag of Halloween candy on the way out.

We met Ainsley’s mother for dinner and then went to their house for trick or treating. Ainsley has never gone in her neighborhood before and wanted to this year. The neighborhood is made up of winding streets so we ended up walking a lot. Many of the houses were not handing out candy, but several had scary displays set up. At one house the girls were startled by kids who crept up behind them as they got their candy.

We weren’t out long, yet both girls ended up with a huge amount of candy. We packed up Marina’s candy and went home.

The World of Wicked

Marina and I have tickets to see Wicked in two weeks. She has never seen it before, but she is looking forward to it. We learned recently that a display of props and costumes from Wicked are on display at a nearby mall. But before we could make plans to see the exhibit, the theater company announced that members of the cast would be at the mall to perform and sign autographs. Suddenly I knew when we'd be visiting!

Marina wanted to wear her Glinda costume from Oz the Great and Powerful. She also brought her American Girl doll Grace along. Grace wore her witch costume.

We arrived a little before the performance was set to start. So we took time to look at the display of costumes. We managed to find seats up closer but off to one side. Still, we had a great view and had a group of young ladies to chat with as we waited.

The performances were fantastic. The actresses who are playing Glinda and Elphaba performed "The Wizard and I" and "For Good." Marina was very impressed.

We got in line to meet the performers. While we waited, Marina befriended a young lady in line. The two girls hit it off right away. When it was our turn, Marina showed the actresses her costume as well as Grace's. Clearly they appreciated her style!

We completed a scavenger hunt through the mall which took us to a toy store, chocolate shop and tea sampling. Then we headed home. On the way, we listened to songs from Wicked. I think Marina is even more excited to see the show now.

Frozen Symphony

Marina and I had such a fun time at the Symphony's Halloween Spooktacular concert last year, that we were looking forward to going again this year. We wanted our costumes to coordinate, so I wore my Elsa costume again and Marina dressed as Anna. She wore the beautiful green coronation dress that a friend bought at Disney World for her. I even attempted to recreate the intricate bun Anna had in her hair. Marina hated the process but she was pleased with the result. I finished it off with a white streak, gold sparkles and green ribbons. Marina also brought her baby Anna plush doll as well.

We had a bit of a rush to get from church to the symphony, but we manage with 10 minutes to spare. Our seats were really good this year. We settled in and admired the rest of the costumes we saw.

The concert was very entertaining this year. We were surprised when the conductor came out in a suit - the musicians were all in costume. The first piece was music from the movie Spiderman. When it was nearly over, the conductor opened his shirt to reveal the Spiderman costume underneath. By the end of the music he had completed the transformation. We gave him a loud ovation.

The rest of the music was just as fun. We got to judge the best costumes in the orchestra. We got to participate in the music from Beetlejuice and Ghostbusters. The program ended with the theme from Star Wars, which created excitement with the kids. On the way out, each child was given a bag with candy and other goodies. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon.

Fantasia in Concert

Last year, I introduced Marina to the Symphony by taking her to see Bugs Bunny in Concert. She really enjoyed that, so when the schedule had Disney's Fantasia on it, I knew we'd have to see that as well.

Marina debated on wearing a costume to this show, but there really isn't a princess connected to Fantasia at all. Since Mickey Mouse does appear in The Sorcerer's Apprentice, she decided to wear her Minnie Mouse ears. She wore a black velvet dress with pink flowers embroidered on it. The Minnie headband had black ears and a pink bow that perfectly matched the flowers. And for good measure, she brought along her Minnie plush doll.

We arrived a bit early. Marina was pleased with our seats, we were overlooking the orchestra with two movie screens which were easy to see.

Since we own both Fantasia movies, the music and animation were not new to us. The orchestra played along to selections from both movies. Most of our favorites were included in the concert. Marina commented about it all to me throughout the concert.

Once the show was over, Marina was anxious to leave. That didn't work out very well.  First we ran into one of her ballet teachers from a few years ago. After visiting with her, we left the concert hall. Another show at a nearby theater was letting out at the same time, so exiting the parking garage was a mess. We ended up looking around the area downtown for a while until the congestion eased up.

Spooky Symphony

Marina recently started playing the violin. So she's been much more interested in music that involves the violin. And since the symphony was having a special Halloween concert, it seemed the perfect time to go.

Marina and I wore our witch costumes from Oz the Great and Powerful. Saige also joined us, she was dressed as Ariel. When we arrived we found that many of the parents were also dressed up to coordinate with their kids. We even found a family dressed as characters from The Wizard of Oz. So we all had our picture taken together.

The members of the symphony were also dressed up for Halloween. The conductor was dressed as a Jedi Knight. When they played the Imperial March from Star Wars, he used his lightsaber instead of his baton!

Marina seemed to enjoy the music. She often used her wand to copy the conductor's baton movements. It was a fun show!

Silly Symphony

Marina and I have been fans of the performing arts for a long time, but one type we'd never tried was the symphony orchestra. Today they had a special concert, Bugs Bunny at the Symphony. I thought it would be a great way to introduce her to this art form. She chose her fanciest dress to wear and she brought McKenna with her. She told me that this was McKenna's weekend.

We arrived just minutes before the performance began. Our seats were very close to the stage, right near the harpist. Marina was excited by that, she thought the harp was cool.

Once the show started, Marina was completely drawn in. Most of the music was accompanied by Warner Brothers cartoons. She laughed loudly and clapped after each one. During intermission, she walked up to the stage and looked closely at the instruments.

The second act included additional cartoons: Tom and Jerry, The Flintstones and Scooby Doo. She loved those as well.

Once the performance was over, Marina lingered by the stage again. She definitely liked being so close!