Elmo's Musical Adventure: The Story of Peter and the Wolf

Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf is often a child's first experience with orchestral music, so it's fitting that the folks at Sesame Street have brought this beloved tale to their neighborhood. With the help of Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra, along with the over-active imagination of Baby Bear, Elmo and his Sesame Street compadres are transported to Prokofiev's Russian village of yore, where they find themselves menaced by a moderately mean, lavender-colored wolf. Young viewers are introduced to the various instruments that represent the characters--the violin is Peter, the oboe is the duck, the French horn is the wolf, etc.--and shown how the musical instruments help to tell the story. While the program provides only an abbreviated version of this Prokofiev classic, it's a very entertaining and easily appreciated introduction, as well as a solid lesson in the value of cooperation. Also, adults familiar with the storyline may rest assured that in this version Sonya the duck is not eaten by the wolf. Recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (P. Van Vleck)