SYNOPSIS

Three friendly and curious dogs attend a performance of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”.

While following the story of “The Magic Flute”, we get to learn about participants, the story, the performers’ voices, and the role of costumes.

At appropriate times, the readers can press 12 different buttons for a musical / sound illustration of what they are reading about.

Vocabulary words – overture, libretto, coloratura soprano – are sprinkled throughout and described in accessible language.

And throughout, the dogs – budding opera fans – ask smart questions and stay engaged in the performance. Who’d have guessed?

PERFECT AGE 5 – 10

We love

• The idea of using Mozart’s iconic opera with a very engaging story to illustrate musical concepts is pure genius.
• Captivating illustrations and the super-entertaining dogs keep readers’ attention peeled from start to end.
• The book simplifies a complex musical medium without “dumbing it down”, and succeeds in getting young readers genuinely excited.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

• Can we list out all voices (male and female) from lowest to highest?
• How is an opera similar to a theater performance / musical concert / ballet? How is it different?
• If you were to work on an opera, which part would you like best – singing, playing an instrument, costume making, sets? Why?
• What language do the performers in the recordings sing in? Is this the language the opera was written in? Why the difference, do you think?
• The recordings are very, very brief pieces of the full songs / arias – do you want to find and hear more together online?