Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors [Cast Recording]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Back in the days when the forces that controlled television actually cared about art, it was perfectly normal to see original plays and live musical performances right in your living room. 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. This recording, under the composer's 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. This story of a poor shepherd boy's encounter with three kings and the miraculous healing of his crippled leg when he offers his crutch as a gift has captured audiences around the world ever since its premiere. Its charming mix of tuneful melody, dancing rhythms, delightful choruses, humor and poignancy, and an English text makes this work immediately accessible to audiences of all ages and musical tastes. --David Vernier

Tracks:

Amahl! Amahl!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, Mother, You Should Go Out And See!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Stop Bothering Me!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Poor Amahl!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Don't Cry, Mother Dear
Amahl And The Night Visitors: From Far Away We Come
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Amahl...Yes, Mother?
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Good Evening! Good Evening!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Come In, Come In!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Are You A Real King?
Amahl And The Night Visitors: This Is My Box
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Amahl, I Told You Not To Be A Nuisance!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, These Beautiful Things
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Have You Seen A Child
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds! Shepherdesses!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Emily, Emily
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Olives and Quinces
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds' Dance
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thank You, Good Friends
Amahl And The Night Visitors: All That Gold!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thief! Thief!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Don't You Dare!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, Woman, You Can KeepThe Gold
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Oh, No, Wait
Amahl And The Night Visitors: I Walk, Mother
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Do You Really Want To Go?
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds, Arise!

Amazon.com

Back in the days when the forces that controlled television actually cared about art, it was perfectly normal to see original plays and live musical performances right in your living room. 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. This recording, under the composer's 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. This story of a poor shepherd boy's encounter with three kings and the miraculous healing of his crippled leg when he offers his crutch as a gift has captured audiences around the world ever since its premiere. Its charming mix of tuneful melody, dancing rhythms, delightful choruses, humor and poignancy, and an English text makes this work immediately accessible to audiences of all ages and musical tastes. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

My favorite Christmas music.......2007-05-13

Having seen the original TV production of Amahl as a kid, I have very fond and tender memories of this story, and I find the music to be absolutely delightful - profound but in a very accessible and somewhat playful way. This recording brings back the spirit of Christmas to me instantly!

An unsung genius.......2007-04-10

Giancarlo Menotti slipped peacefully to his rewards recently after having composed some of the finest music of the last century. Although an Italian native, his ability to place English words in his vocal works in exactly the right places to allow singers their best production, he is still not performed often. His story lines are always poignant, whether for opera or ballet and his orchestral works strike at the emotional heart of the listener while giving the performers great opportunities to shine. His Christmas opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" was first telecast with a brilliant, wonderfully cast and directed group of singers and dancers and was an immediate success, scheduled to be repeated the following season. Only one copy of the tape was stored and, incredibly, was "accidentally" erased, before the second telecast. It was necessarily recast in the role of Amahl, since the first young boy's voice had changed. This is the result of that recasting, with the rest of the amazing singers and new boy recreating a blessed and beautiful masterpiece. I regret that the same care was not given to the visual aspects in the second, hastily produced telecast.
In my opinion, this creation should be lovingly produced every year!
I am a grateful singer of his works.

Amahl and the Night Visitors made our Christmas very precious!.......2007-01-20

I grew up listening to this operetta and it was so exciting to find it again and make it a part of my family's traditions. This is an excellent recording.

Mother, Mother, Mother Come With Me..........2007-01-13

It's as good as I remember from my own childhood, and I was AMAZED when my 5 year old son DEMANDED to hear it over and over on our recent trip to Minnesota. Now, weeks after we've packed away our Christmas CD's, my son STILL sings out from the other room "Mother! Mother! Mother come with me, I want to be sure that you see what I see!" whenever he wants to show me something. I'm glad that such a wonderful piece of our culture has been woven into the consciousness of yet another generation.

A must have.......2007-01-10

My earliest childhood memories of Christmas always include Amahl. My parents saw this the first year they were married and it became a tradition to listen to it after that.

It has become the cornerstone of my families holiday celebrations.

Average customer rating:

Amahl and The Night Visitors
Amahl
Amahl
Very disappointing
The best recording of Amahl

Amahl and the Night Visitors
Lorna Haywood , James Rainbird , David Syrus , and Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House - Covent Garden
Manufacturer: Jay Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:

Amahl and the Night Visitors: Vocal Score (Vocal Score Series)
Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors
Menotti - Amahl and the Night Visitors
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Menotti: The Unicorn, the Gorgon and the Manticore

ASIN: B00000C2I7
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Amahl And The Night Visitors: Prelude - Opening
Amahl And The Night Visitors: What Was Keeping You Outside
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Don't Cry Mother Dear
Amahl And The Night Visitors: From Far Away We Come
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Amahl, Go See Who's Knocking
Amahl And The Night Visitors: It's Nice Here
Amahl And The Night Visitors: I Was A Shepherd
Amahl And The Night Visitors: This Is My Box
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Have You Seen A Child
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Shepherds, Shepherds
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Dance
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thank You Good Friends
Amahl And The Night Visitors: All That Food
Amahl And The Night Visitors: Thief! Thief!
Amahl And The Night Visitors: I Walk Mother
Amahl And The Night Visitors: What To Do With Your Crutch?

Customer Reviews:

Amahl and The Night Visitors.......2007-01-10

This recording (produced in 1986), directed with the help of the composer, Gian Carl Menotti, is the most perfect piece of music I have encountered in many years. Amahl's (James Rainbird)voice is of such sweet clarity and nuance that it brings me to tears. The orchestra (Covent Garden Symphony) is beautiful and multi-layered. Each time I listen to it, I discover some other little piece of phrasing by another instrument that adds to the complex tapestry of the over all musical score. I have purchased several copies of it for friends. I have listened to other versions of Amahl for over 50 years, and this is, by far, the best I have ever heard. For pure listening pleasure of a treasured Christmas classic, I cannot recommend it highly enough. I even listen to it throughout the year, regardless of the season. I simply do not understand other people's criticism of it. Perhaps I am musically naive, perhaps they are musical snobs. It is pure musical bliss in my book, and I can't get enough of it.

Amahl.......2006-12-16

If you know the opera by heart, have performed it countless times, then you know that no recording is as good as the orginal 1951 recording. I find it difficult to listen to any other. I wish that it would be released again!

Amahl.......2003-01-25

Gee - sorry to those who like this modern recording but I like the 1951 recording the best.I have both the LP which is quite scratched by now and the CD which is quite good except for the pauses between tracks. I recommend the 1951 version available from Amazon (or at least it was in 2001).

Very disappointing.......2002-10-16

I'm currently studying the role of Amahl's mother, and I got this recording by the luck of the draw. Kaspar is horribly flat throughout, which is a shame. It was a difficult recording to listen to once, I dread bearing it the number of times I will need to over the next two months.

I'm going to try to return it this afternoon.

The best recording of Amahl.......2002-10-13

I am also a singer and I find this recording much superior in every respect to the other old mono recording. Yes there are a few occasional questionable tuning but it has much less bad tuning when compared to the other recording, which in addition has inferior old mono sound. The performances in this recording are vivid, dramatic and musical, obviously much helped by the presence and direction of the composer, Menotti. If you want a recording of Amahl, this is the only and best recording of Amahl to get.