IwantheGoldenTicket
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Amahl and the Night VisitorsHas anyone ever done this show before? Did you like it? I'm auditioning for it in 2 weeks and I'm very excited. My vocal teacher is the director of the show so she told me she wants me to be a shepard.
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Tom
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It is a delightful, short one act opera that I remember fondly from watching on tv in the early 1960's.
I also directed a production in 1991. Some great music!
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JelliclePat
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I've never done 'Amahl...', but I've loved it since I first saw it on television in the 60's. (If I recall correctly, it was the first opera that was written specifically for television. Gian-Carlo Menotti says it is slightly autobiographical, because he was lame as a child.) It runs about an hour, and has some very lovely music ranging from very simple (for Amahl and his mother) to slightly avant-garde (for 'How far, my distant star?')
Can you dance? Three of the shepherds dance for the three Kings to welcome them. The dance doesn't have to be fancy, and really it shouldn't be; they're peasants, after all. (I saw one local production where the female shepherd was a ballet student, and they had her dancing on point; didn't work *at all*!! That was the only negative thing in the show, though.)
Best of luck with the auditions. Please write again and let us know how it goes!
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Robinflamingo
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Oh, I love this show...the kings are wonderfully quirky, and the music is delightful.
"This is my box. This is my box. I never travel without my box..."
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JelliclePat
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Oh, yes. I *love* Kaspar. He's so like a little boy himself, esp. when asked if his parrot bites. And Balthazar, when Amahl asks to see his regal blood, replies that 'it's just like yours'. My mother always described the Kings' 'Good evening' as barbershop harmony. Amahl is *so* like any boy his age, esp. when the Page asks to touch him after he's been healed. There's something in this show to touch every emotion. I still get teary-eyed every time I see it. It's sweet, without being saccherine.
'Licorice! Licorice! Black, sweet licorice. Black, sweet licorice. Have some!'
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Valjean_Jean24601
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I played King Balthazar in high school. It was funny because there are repeated references to that king being African American, but I was from a small farm town school, where there were no black people around lol. So we had to change around the lyrics. It made the whole "I live in a black marble palace. . " lines a little idiotic.
It's a great show though, I had a lot of fun with it.
Sm**chies!
Jacob.
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LisaKitty
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| Valjean_Jean24601 wrote: | | there are repeated references to that king being African American |
Actually, the references are specifically to the king being "black". 
I directed this show a few years ago, and ended up playing Amahl's Mother as well (not a recommendation, BTW), and it's still one of my favorites!
I just happened to luck out that I knew an African-American singer with a bass voice (a stunning bass voice!) at one of the local high schools that I was able to convince to come sing with us. I didn't bother telling him until later that the other two kings he was singing with were professionally trained opera singers.  This was his second production ever!
Everyone in the production ended up having a great time. For most of them, it was their first experience with opera. It's just that kind of show!
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