Are you ready to dance? And sing? And milk cows?
These are the questions you’ve got to ask yourself before heading to the Jingle Bell Favourites show at Dubai Opera. The concert, held on December 13 and 14, is full of fun picks. And it’s engaging.
For the song The 12 Days of Christmas, for instance, the audience was divided into groups — 12 groups, of course — and each number came with an action. From hugging the person seated next to you to jumping and twirling, the audience was very much part of the act.
Our seats came with lyric sheets so that we could sing along at key moments for songs such as Deck the Halls, Good King Wenceslas, Away in a Manger, Ding Dong Merrily on High, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks and Hark! The Herald Angles Sing.
And we were good sports. Ever so often you’d hear the tinkle of a melodious voice joining the band.
Speaking of whom, the London Concert Orchestra Show Band was spot on — no note was out of key.
They were joined by Capital Voices and West End soloists Laura Tebbutt and Matt Little. Tebutt’s vocal range is magnificent, as is her energy, while Little’s quirky, corny but cute routine made him instantly likeable. At one point, he did an impression of Elvis Presley, at another, he and Tebutt did a flirtatious Baby, It’s Cold Outside. Then there was that sudden move to Mexico with Mambo Santa Mambo, complete with hats and maracas — there was a spare set for a lucky audience member to shake, too.
Other numbers that exercised their vocal skills were It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Let It Snow, Winter Wonderland, Jingle Bell Rock, Silent Night and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.
But great music aside, what really made the evening memorable was the conductor, Pete Harrison, who curated the event. With tongue twisters he insisted the audience tried and little snippets of a song’s history, to singing lessons, Harrison made the audience laugh, dance and feel part of the show.
So put your inhibitions aside, grab your dancing shoes, prepare your vocal cords and head to Dubai Opera for a merry little evening — now how’s that for a December treat?
Don’t miss it!
There are two shows on December 14 at 3pm and 8pm. Tickets start at Dh150 for the afternoon show and Dh250 for the evening show on dubaiopera.com.
