Monday, November 23, 2009

Soothing the Savage Beasts

The Atlas

We live a few scant blocks from the Atlas Theater and while we've walked by it numerous times while making our way to various eateries and taverns on the H Street Corridor, we'd never partaken in its cultural offerings. But a few weeks ago, I received a notice that the Capitol City Symphony would be performing a children's concert complete with an instrument petting zoo at Atlas and decided that we should broaden our horizons.

Owen and I were joined for our inaugural concert by Mia & Marlo and Luke, Claire & Andrew (Allen and Brad stayed home with Nora and Ben). Owen was a little freaked out about touching the instruments and wanted to storm the stage instead, but Mia had a blast with the timpani and Luke got some quality time with the strings, before taking their seats.

They sat in rapt attention for the conductor's introduction and Skidmore's percussion piece, and did pretty well through Copland, Strauss and Britten. But Luke decided to get his groove on during Bernstein's Candide Overture and Owen & Mia followed suit. By Shostakovich's Festive Overture the eight year old in the row ahead was giving us dirty looks. We probably should have left before the Strauss finale...

After snapping a few pictures in the lobby, the crew literally ran back to our place to grab Nora and the boys before chicken racing to the Argonaut for some pub fare. Which I understand mirrors Itzhak Perlman's post-concert ritual...

Capitol Symphony

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