VIVALDI'S RING OF MYSTERY

No sex, no violence, no aliens, no monsters. Yet, I liked it. A musical detective fantasy for children, this winsome audio play concerns a little orphan with a musical gift who is sent to an orphanage in Venice, where composer Antonio Vivaldi conducts a girls' orchestra. The kindly ex-priest shows her a rare Stradivarius tied to the mysterious disappearance of a nobly born infant. A fine cast delivers an original and suspenseful script to the background of Vivaldi compositions. The production is perfectly paced, even for kids used to hyperkinetic TV. Vivaldi's nicely played music does most of the scene-setting, augmented by sound effects only when absolutely necessary. The overall effect is one of charm, grace, and even beauty. Whether or not it will interest young listeners in classical music, I cannot tell. Teachers may wish to acquire the classroom notes provided by the publishers. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 02]