I don’t really celebrate Christmas, but I’m inordinately fond of this short little opera. I remember watching it with my parents on TV when I was a wee twickster, bought it on vinyl as an adult, and now own the CD, which I listen to at least a half dozen times every December.
Any other fans?
You know, I’m an opera singer, I own the score, and I was even once offered a role in the show (the production was canceled) and I don’t believe I’ve ever actually heard the thing. I suppose that doesn’t really answer your question.
I like Menotti, though.
Huge fan! When I was in grade school, our church put on a production. Strangely enough, our church counted a number of amazingly talented musicians/singers/actors/dancers and it was very well done! I’ve loved it since then and actually tracked down a VHS copy of it for my Mom for Christmas. It’s my favorite Christmas story and I haven’t seen it since. I believe Menotti died earlier this year.
“This is my box.
This is my box.
I never travel without my box.”
“Does it bite?
Yes!”
“Thief, thief!”
Wow, those quotes sound fairly pornographic without context!
The Peasant’s Dance is so exuberant it takes my breath away!
“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you kindly!”
“Thank you, thank you – thank you kindly, too”
You had me at “Caribbean Pumpkin Stew,” now you’ll never get rid of me!
“This is all we shepherds can offer you…”
*Thank you, good friends,
for your laughter and your gifts.
But now we must bid you goodnight.
We have little time to sleep
and a long journey a-heaaaad.
Goodnight, my good kings.
Goodnight and farewell.
The pale stars foretell
that dawn is in sight.*
*Olives and quinces,
apples and raisins,
nutmeg and myrtle,
medlars and chestnuts,
this is all we shepherds can offer you.
Citrons and lemons,
musks and pomegranates,
goat cheese and walnuts,
figs and cucumbers,
this is all we shepherds can offer you.
Hazelnuts and camomile,
mignonettes and laurel,
honeycombs and cinnamon,
thyme, mint and garlic,
this is all we shepherds can offer you. *
I remember going to see this as a wee tot (age 5 or so) and it was a distant enough memory that last year I ended up “rediscovering” it, because I knew I’d seen this thing, but couldn’t remember what it was called or anything. I need to get the album.
I have most of it memorized.
When I was an 11 year old boy soprano, I sang Amahl in a high school production. I’ve sung in the chorus for a couple of college and church concert performances.
The original 1951 broadcast was posted on YouTube last year but has been taken down. It included Menotti giving a brief prefatory speech, a version of which is printed with the piano score. He also introduced Schippers, the camera director, and the set designer.
Excerpts are still on YouTube, and I think a DVD is available.
February 1, 2007, actually.
We used to watch it every year in the '50s (with only 3 channels, there wasn’t much else on). It was my first exposure to opera, and I loved the woman who played the mother.
Oh, for the days when operas would be shown on network TV – and an annual tradition, yet! Here’s a wonderful clip from the fifties, with Bill McIver (frankly, this is the best boy soprano performance I’ve ever heard) as Amahl and Rosemary Kuhlmann as Mother, though she only comes in at the end – still, it’s a luscious soprano.
I was in the chorus back in an opera company performance way back in my high school years. (We also performed this in my school, but that was a few years before my time.) I loved it. Such evocative, charming music and a meaningful Christmas tale, too.
(That reminds me: my mom – who loved the opera – still liked to snark that Amahl’s line “Cross my heart and hope to die” was anachronistic, considering it came before Christ’s crucifiction. I don’t know if she was serious, but what do you guys think? Does the phrase ‘cross my heart’ refer to the Cross, and if so, is Amahl’s line a bit wonky as a result? Not that it really matters, it’s not like they’re really supposed to be speaking idiomatic English anyway!)
The CD I have has the original 1951 cast, with Ms. Kuhlman as the mother but Chet Allen as Amahl.
Amahl and the Night Visitors Was always a Christmas Tradition in our household; I can remember seeing one of the versions that was done for TV. We had the album and played it frequently during the holidays. My mother was a student of Menotti’s at Curtis and also knew Thomas Schippers (another Curtis student). I recall my brothers and I singing along with the record.
It has been a number of years since I heard Amahl now; it would probably remind me of my Mom a lot, maybe so much that I would get too choked up hearing it, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. Thanks, Twickster for reminding me about it. 
One of my dearest friends, Graeme Campbell, was ‘Amahl’ in the Australian premiere way back when. He died almost 17 years ago, but I still think of him every time I hear that lovely piece.
How cool about your mom!
I hope when the memories have softened a bit you’ll return to it; it really is a marvelously efficient bit of storytelling with some lovely music. I hope you’ll find the memories make it kind of a quiet place to reflect on the season and remember loved ones who are gone – it is for me.
A friend lent me a B&W DVD copy of this. We haven’t watched it with our boys yet; I have a feeling they’ll roll their eyes and ask to go back to SpongeBob. I’ve never seen it myself.