Sure, there had been a 1978 revival broadcast with a top notch cast that. This 1978 show is available on amazon as a vhs tape, and possibly as a dvd. It was commissioned by nbc and first performed by the nbc opera theatre on december 24, 1951, in new york city at nbc studio 8h in rockefeller center, where it was broadcast live on television from that venue as the debut. A family christmas story telling the events of one miraculous, lifechanging night. Dec 20, 2008 do you know a child from menottis amahl and the night visitors teresa stratas, giorgio tozzi, willard white, nico castel. A christmas love story 2019 love takes flight 2019. However, this charming one act opera to be performed december 19 at lincoln theatre, was created from the remembrance of menottis childhood in italy. It was commissioned by nbc and first performed on december 24, 1951 in new york city, at nbc studio 8h in radio city music hall, where it was broadcast live on television as the debut production of the hallmark hall of. Menotti amahl and the night visitors by scoresondemand. Amahl and the night visitors is one of the most beloved musical experiences of the holidays. Since it was a film the orchestra and singing were recorded separately from the video. Broadcast yearly into the mid 60s, amahl as is the case with so many programs from the early years of television has disappeared into the fogs of the past, unseen on network. In 1950, menotti was commissioned to write an opera for television, and on christmas eve, 1951, amahl and the night visitors was performed by the nbc television theater. Also known as aka it looks like we dont have any akas for this title yet.
It was commissioned by nbc and first performed by the nbc opera theatre on december 24, 1951, in new york city at nbc studio 8h in rockefeller center, where it was broadcast live on television as the debut production of the hallmark hall of fame. After 1966, it seemed to have been retired from television, but in 1978, a new production, starring teresa stratas as amahls mother and nico castel as king kaspar, was filmed by. Dec 09, 2017 the original 1951 historic telecast with chet allen as amahl. Amahl and the night visitors 1978 restored youtube. One night in judea, a disabled shepherd boyturnedbeggar and. For several years it was assumed that the film kinescope of the original telecast had been lost, but a copy was. If you share my love, or want to, get the real thing the way the composer intended it. The hallmark hall of fame movie list hallmark hall of. It was recorded just a few days after the original nbc broadcast, which was produced with the assistance of menotti himself. Amahl and the night visitors tv movie 1978 amahl and. Amahl and the night visitors, gian carlo menottis stirring opera about a crippled.
The yearly live telecasts of gian carlo menottis amahl and the night visitors were a cherished christmas tradition throughout the 1950s. Its relative obscurity is perhaps due to the fact that it is inevitably labelled a christmas opera, telling, as it does, the tale of the arrival of the three kings. Gian carlo menotti delivers a christmas classic with amahl and the night visitors. This recording, under the composers personal direction, was made a few days later, and it remains the definitive version, even though the sound is very dated and rough in places. The illustrations are superb and add to the richness of the story.
Giorgio tozzi, king melchior in amahl and the night visitors on ge theater sunday on nbctv. It was a christmas opera for children, and it was performed live. With teresa stratas, robert sapolsky, giorgio tozzi, willard white. Amahl and the night visitors is a wonderful and moving story for all ages. The abc had previously televised menottis the telephone and this was the second opera they broadcast it was broadcast live in melbourne, recorded, then shown in sydney. Watching menottis amahl and the night visitors was a family tradition that started during my childhood, so i eagerly looked forward to watching it with my family. Release dates 1 also known as aka 0 release dates usa 24 december 1978. Do you know a child from menottis amahl and the night visitors teresa stratas, giorgio tozzi, willard white, nico castel.
The history and story of amahl and the night visitors. Amahl and the night visitors thomas schippers on allmusic 1990. Originally commissioned by nbc, amahl and the night visitors premiered on december 24, 1951 in the rockefeller center television studio and has been a hallmark of the christmas season ever since. Amahl and the night visitors amahls mother 1978 the emperor of atlantis drummer girl 1977 the bartered bride marie 1976. The story of amahl, and his fateful meeting with three kings, is told with warmth as well as humor. Philharmonia orchestra london, england rejoice in the simple story of the crippled boy amahl and his devoted mother who live in poverty among the shepherds of jerusalem. I also have a vhs tape of the 1978 production, and it features a different cast in which the actors seem a little more convincing in their. With richard cross, martha king, john mccollum, julian patrick.
The original 1951 historic telecast with chet allen as amahl. It was commissioned by nbc and first performed by the nbc opera theatre on december 24, 1951, in new york city at nbc studio 8h in rockefeller center, where it was broadcast live on television from that venue as the debut production of the hallmark hall of fame. Amahls return to television after a 12year absence is discussed during rehearsal by gian carlo menotti, creator of the christmas classic, and teresa stratas, who plays the mother in amahl and the night visitors, which ge theater presents dec. Jan 15, 2010 amahl and the night visitors, 1978, mother. Gian carlo menotti was born on july 7, 1911 in cadeglianoviconago, lombardy, italy. For a nation accustomed to the naturalism of the movies, opera must pay. Amahl and the night visitors tv movie 1978 amahl and the night. Amahl and the night visitors tv movie 1978 release. This dvd fulfills my memories of the original live broadcast, and i recommend it highly to my contemporaries and their families. Amahl and the night visitors 1978 tv movie release info.
One night in judea, a disabled shepherd boyturnedbeggar and his mother are visited by three strangers. Amahl and the night visitors, gian carlo menottis stirring opera about a crippled shepherd boy and three kings, was tvs first christmas tradition, creating a sensation with its debut on christmas eve 1951. Hear classic music from amahl and the night visitors, 1978, with robert sapolsky, teresa stratas, giorgio tozzi, at tcm amahl and the night visitors 1978 music skip navigation. In 1978, a new production starring teresa stratas as amahls mother, robert sapolsky as amahl, and willard white. Amahl and the night visitors fifty years ago tonight, nbc aired the first opera ever commissioned for television. Amahl and the night visitors is an opera in one act by gian carlo menotti with an original english libretto by the composer. Playfully she teaches him about not telling lies o mother you should go outside. A new production broadcast in 1978 and partially filmed in the holy land was. Amahl and the night visitors by gian carlo menotti. It was recorded just a few days after the original nbc broadcast, which was produced with the assistance of menotti. Its end was due not to low ratings as one might today think, but instead because of a dispute between the network and menotti. Overview of amahl and the night visitors, 1978, with robert sapolsky, teresa stratas, giorgio tozzi, at turner classic movies. It was written in 1954 for television by giancarlo menotti, whose operas form a body of work that is distinctively american. Nico castel was wonderful in comic role as king kaspar.
The young crippled shepherd, amahl, is miraculously cured of his lameness and invited to join the three kings on their journey to see the newborn child in gian carlo menottis christmas classic amahl and the night visitors, on ge theater, nbctv, sunday, december 24, 78 pm et. I would rather see no production at all of amahl than a bad one, he told the press. Amahl and the night visitors is an opera in one act by gian carlo menotti with an original. Menottis amahl and the night visitors is certainly worthy of greater recognition. For 12 years amahl and the night visitors was presented live on tv, but in 1963 it was videotaped with an allnew cast, and this version was shown from 1963 to 1966. It had the look and feel of a filmed movie which it was, with many. A few days before christmas amahl, a disabled boy, is playing in his bedroom with his toys when his mother calls for him to get ready for bed amahl. Menotti amahl and the night visitors by scoresondemand issuu. They are the three kings, and they are on their way to bethlehem to visit the christ child, who has just been born.
People looking for a meaningful christmas story that actually mentions christ, will treasure this book. Amahl and the night visitors first united methodist. Amahl and the night visitors 1978 soundtrack the ed sullivan show 1960 producer. Amahl and the night visitors tv movie 1978 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Of the handful of available recordings, this is probably the best. The problem is the vhs transfer, of all the videos and dvds in my quite extensiveand still growing opera collection, the transfer for the 1978 production of amahl and the night visitors is one of the least satisfying, with shoddymurky picture quality and constant colour shifts and distorted sound with a very unpleasant hiss played in hifi. Tickets amahl and the night visitors wcsu box office. Though gian carlo menotti received pulitzer prizes for the consul and the saint of bleecker street, this one act operas imaginative. Dec 19, 2017 amahl and the night visitors is one of the most beloved musical experiences of the holidays. Amahl and the night visitors the popular gian carlo menotti opera about amahl, a crippled boy who joins the magi on the road to bethlehem on the eve of the first christmas. Amahl and the night visitors schippers is how amazon lists the cd.
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