Événement

Southern Crescent Chorale's Amahl and the Night Visitors

A tuneful, charming Christmas classic. Amahl and the Night Visitors is an excellent way to introduce opera, as a genre, to children. The opera in one act was written and composed by Gian Carlo Menotti for NBC Studios, which aired the first performance of the production live on Christmas Eve in 1951. It became the first Christmas special to become an annual television tradition, with shows broadcast on or around Christmas Eve until 1966.

Full of humor, wonder and drama, Amahl and the Night Visitors is the story of a disabled boy whose reputation for lying makes his mother dubious when he tells her one evening that he has seen an amazing star as big as a window. Later that night, three splendidly dressed kings knock at the door and ask if they can rest at the home for the evening. The kings explain they are on a long journey to present gifts to a wondrous Child, whom the mother suspects may be her son. While the mother is out gathering the neighbors so that they may help entertain and feed these distinguished guests, Amahl questions the kings about their lives.

Later that night, the mother attempts to steal gold meant for the Christ Child, but is thwarted by the Kings page. One of the Kings, realizing the precarious plight of the impoverished mother and child, says that she may keep the gold because the Holy Child will not need earthly power or wealth to build his kingdom.

The mom, hearing of the Childs greatness, says she would like to send Him a gift but that she has nothing to give. Amahl, too, has nothing to give the Christ Child except his crutch, but he offers it, and as he does so, his leg is healed, and he joyfully leaves his mother and goes off with the three kings to see the child and give thanks.

Southern Crescent Chorales conductor and founder Janice Folsom is musical and stage director of the production next week.