If you and your children are searching for a special holiday festivity, be sure to catch Amahl and the Night Visitors on Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 4:00 or 7:00 p.m. at Westport's own Unitarian Church. The opera is derived from the Christian tale of the three kings who seek shelter at the home of a young crippled boy and his mother.
This family friendly one hour opera was originally commissioned by the NBC Opera Company for television viewing. Composer and librettist Gian Carlo Menotti was inspired by Hieronymus Bosch's picture The Adoration of the Magi at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; he completed it just before the live broadcast on December 24, 1951. Since it was quite successful, it became an annual Christmas eve special.
With its beautiful melodies, divine story, simple vocal writing, and small orchestra, it has become a mainstay of church, college and community opera organizations.
Westport's production will feature the American Chamber Orchestra conducted by Christopher James Hisey and Carl Serbell; soloists include Rod Davis, Bill Hall, Lucas Kesselman, Susan Marnell, and Allan Wieman. A special showing of the opera will be staged for the students at Bridgeport's Beardsley Elementary School.
If you would like to acquaint yourself with this inspiring work, stop by for the book, compact disc, libretto, or videorecording.