Amahl and the Night Visitors - Ash Lawn Opera

[@writegirl422]

When I was twelve, my church hired professional opera singers to come in and perform this opera during the christmas season. It was the first opera that I ever saw, and it completely changed my life. Now that I'm a vocal performance major, it's a dream of mine to experience this show from an actor's perspective and to play the mother one day :)

[@v.dargain1678]

What a wish !! I hope you get it . It the best . I was introduced to it as a six year old .

[@edgegymnastics8409]

My brother was Amahl and my dad Kasper at a playhouse as well as our church :)

[@drdougjue]

Amahl has become my Christmas tradition after I first heard it from my music teacher in 1950's. I say it is Minotti's finest.

[@hidalgomeoow]

Christmas season isn't right, without seeing this magnificent opera.

[@avarmadillo]

A masterpiece of truth and beauty.

[@epro7777]

Amahl and the night visitors is so wonderful that I had tears in my eyes even though I am only 9 in a half😭☺️

[@russedav5]

Simple though it may be, the great star in opera, compared to which most of the others are quite crass.

[@DSmittie]

I was Amahl once, so I had to watch this version like 10,000 times to get the notes and lines. Good times....

[@LK-by2cq]

So glad that I took the time to view this on KZbin. I love this opera, but I have only seen one live performance! Ash Lawn had to use what was available - thus the choice of a girl to be Amahl. As for the race of the mom, they very likely chose the best available person to person to perform. Good for them! Someone mentioned a bra strap showing - that/s the reason for dress rehearsals. They can see and hear, then make corrections accordingly. I'm sure the beard was also dealt with before the actual performance(s).

[@ncedomagwebu7862]

Oh my! 🙆🏿‍♂️ This brings back memories. I played one of the Shepards in High School "Emily, Emily, Michael, Bartholomew, How are your children and how are your sheep" As we go with Amahl to his house, Bearing gifts and dance for the Kings. The crazy thing, We also did an IsiXhosa version of this! 😭 Man oh man...Good times 🙂 Beautiful production indeed👌🏿 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

[@scottdowney4865]

My one-time claim to Opera. My home church, Fairfax United Methodist Church, Fairfax, VA, did this December 2000. I was Balthazar.

[@tummesch]

Kaspar's struggle with his beard and clever riddance of it after 'This is My Box' caused great merriment among the children watching. Bravo, Kaspar! You made this opera unforgettable and showed children how to deal with a costume crisis.

[@dianegriffin9836]

first opera i ever saw -- thanks to Hallmark - many, many years ago. I have loved it ever since and make it a point to see it on you tube. sad it does not get a lookin on television or one of the opera companies in australia, where i now live.

[@valve6642]

Excellent production! Thanks for posting.

[@v.dargain1678]

That's what I was going to say but you said it first . Excellent !

[@anthonyhenrysmith]

amazing voices particularly the Bass!

[@moniquescott5391]

My favorite opera

[@v.dargain1678]

My very first American one .

[@litoboy5]

amazing !!!

[@NBK1122]

I've never heard of this before today. It was mentioned in a book. I wish this performance had captions

[@heatherwhiteley3556]

I adore the singing of the three Kings! 9:19

[@v.dargain1678]

Amahl's recorder sounds to me . I play clarinet and I love woodwinds .

[@freddiecalabrian6454]

I spy 🕵️‍♀️ with my little eye in under rated video

[@michaelsimonds9878]

The Opera's composer clearly states in the Book and Libretto that Ahahl always be played by a Boy.

[@eannh4928]

Then the next time ANY singing company puts on Amahl and the Night Visitors with a girl as Amahl, I appoint YOU to find a boy whose voice hasn't broken who can learn the part within given time constrains!

[@maggiemcfly5267]

He specifically didn't wanted a grown woman playing the part, but I guess even though a boy is always preferable to play the boy part, a girl who can pass as a boy should be fine. There isn't much difference in voices and bodies since neither are physically developed. And in small cities, like mine, where finding a boy who could play the part was a nightmare, giving the role to a girl wasn't the worst idea.

[@ashleimusic]

@@maggiemcfly5267 I'm a 24 year old woman and just got casted as Amal hehe, my voice is perfect for it

[@bm4114]

Get over it. They were dicks about gender back then...and now it seems.

[@bm4114]

Also, if the score told you to kill your mother, would you do it?

[@pianosistah]

Awww first opera performance in college

[@escolaniasds]

Menotti distinctly wanted Amahl to be performed by a boy. In the "Production Notes" contained in the piano-vocal score he wrote: "It is the express wish of the composer that the role of Amahl should always be performed by a boy. Neither the musical nor the dramatic concept of the opera permits the substitution of a woman costumed as a child." This is composer Menotti's idea about who should play Amahl. "Menotti clearly wanted Amahl was interpreted by a boy," never by a woman in costume. Adult women and girls can technically sing better, but they do not give the idea that the composer wanted for Amahl: a male child, with his vocal and emotional characteristics. And to sing this little opera there are multitudes of boys who can and have played this role of actor. In addition, in this opera there are already established singing and acting roles for women. Menotti quería claramente que Amahl fuera interpretada por un niño. En las "Notas de producción" contenidas en la partitura de piano vocal escribió: "Es el deseo expreso del compositor que el papel de Amahl sea siempre interpretado por un niño. Ni el concepto musical ni el dramático de la ópera permiten la sustitución por una mujer disfrazada de niño”. Esta es la idea del comopositor Menotti respecto a quién debe hacer de Amahl. "Menotti quería claramente que Amahl fuera interpretada por un niño varón", nunca por una mujer disfrazada. Las mujeres y niñas adultas pueden cantar técnicamente mejor, pero no dan la idea del compositor: un niño varón, con sus características vocales y emocionales. Y para cantar esta pequeña ópera hay multitud de niños varones que pueden y han hecho este papel de actor. Además, en esta ópera ya están establecidos los papeles de canto y actuación para las mujeres.

[@sanghoonlee8908]

Excellento!

[@yeticaller]

cool

[@maesmith6099]

i am being amahl

[@moniquescott8356]

Hi

[@WORKERS.DREADNOUGHT]

Utter bollocks. I cannot understand how anyone can even watch it all the way let alone like it. Its far, far worse than the "Singing Ringing Tree". It should be added to Gina Haspel's CIA torture playlist - right up there with Barney the Dinosaur & then used on Bloody Gina hersalf by way of poetic justice. (& I use the word "poetic" entirely ironically).

[@danielshumway7046]

Looks like they used a girl for Amahl; can even see bra strap sometimes. Mama's a different race than Amahl.

[@bm4114]

Daniel Shumway a both sexist and racist comment said completely unironically.

[@valve6642]

There's only one race , HUMAN.....and people in the mid east are light to dark

[@v.dargain1678]

Identity politics hadn't been invented when that particular yellowtail lit up the night sky so it's not necessary to be that savvy to enjoy the opera . Thanks for the info , though .