Ninjas at the Museum

Every year, Brandt's teacher Mrs. Lee has her class do an opera. The students write lyrics and come up with the melodies, and then with support from Utah Festival Opera, their basic compositions are fleshed out. Then they practice, put together basic costumes, and with parental help paint scenery.  It was largely because of the opera that I requested Brandt be in Mrs. Lee's class. He  loves music and he loves to sing and I wanted him to have the chance to participate.

Throughout the year, Brandt has come home and shared opera progress. We've heard about the writing, and part selection, and visits from opera festival people, as well as scene painting, costuming, and of course, lots and lots of singing. And the closer the opera has gotten, the more nervous Brandt has gotten. He has been excited to perform for the school and for families, and he's been nervous about doing well.

Tonight was the big performance. We invited Grandma Sue and Aunt Mikayla to come watch, and we all enjoyed the performance. The opera was called Ninjas at the Museum. Museum workers needed help guarding their valuable museum pieces, and hire ninjas to do it. It doesn't go well as the ninjas make a big mess with Cheetos. They sang a very funny song praising all the wonderful characteristics of Cheetos, and then Brandt and the other ninjas ( Brandt was a ninja) threw bags of Cheetos into the audience. Blythe was delighted when Kent caught a bag and gave it to her.

The opera was wonderful. It was only 12 minutes long, but followed by group singing of songs from The Sound of Music, and a talent show featuring maybe six or seven of Brandt's classmates.  The evening's entertainment was about 30 minutes total. Brandt was very pleased with the way it all turned out, and so were we. Yeah for our performer!

Here is Brandt's summation of the opera.  "I was nervous, but we did great."  He's a man of few words.

Pre-show 

He doesn't look nervous to me.

He looks calm, cool, and collected.

 

Nikoli, Mateo, Bridger, Lisa, Myra, Evelyn

Museum workers who are about to sing about needing some help to guard

all their priceless stuff.

Kylie, David's head, Britton, Nikoli, Brandt, Joseph

I wasn't sure how Brandt was able to see through the production.

The bands holding his mask on broke, so we was using the bandana to hold it on.

As a result, it was down over one eye, but he didn't let a wardrobe malfunction stop him.

Jakob, Brandt, Josie

Brandt told me he needed the laptop bag as a prop.

I couldn't really envision why a museum protecting, Cheetos throwing 

ninja would need a laptop bag, but he took it in.

Turns out, the bag held lots of bags of Cheetos that he and the other ninjas

threw into the audience.

He came home with the last two bags!

Brandt, Avery, Joseph, Greta, Abi, Mateo, Britton, Bridger

 

 

Louisa, Ash, Avery, Josie, Brandt, Joseph, Kate

Singing the final song, "Slumber Party!"

Ash, Kade, Josie, Brandt, Joseph, Kate, David

 

 

 

 

Audience members during the brief intermission between opera and talent show.

 

 

Back row: Lisa, Josie, Mateo, Brighton

Middle row: Greta, Anna, Brandt

Bottom row: Nuno, Britton, Kylie  

Melissa next to Anna and Brandt

 

 

backdrop

Brandt's picture is the bright orange portrait.