AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS Newly Remastered! (Blu-ray)

Also available on DVD – see related item listing below.

The yearly live telecasts of Gian Carlo Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors were a cherished Christmas tradition throughout the 1950s. In addition, since its premiere in 1951, Amahl has been performed regularly by community groups and small opera companies throughout the US, making it the single most popular American opera. This production, staged by the composer himself and originally telecast on Christmas Day, 1955, is a testament to the work’s enduring power to move the heart and stir the soul. Starring Rosemary Kuhlmann as the Mother and Bill McIver as Amahl. Members of the Symphony of the Air are under the direction of Thomas Schippers. Also on the Blu-ray, from the same broadcast, is The Columbus Boychoir performing Christmas carols. The Blu-ray also includes an exclusive interview with Rosemary Kuhlmann, who played the Mother in the premiere and all the subsequent telecasts.
B&W, 46 minutes [Bonus features: 34 minutes], 4:3, All regions

Amahl and the Night Visitors
Opera in One Act
Music and Libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti

Cast:
Amahl: Bill McIver
Mother: Rosemary Kuhlmann
King Caspar: Andrew McKinley
King Melchior: David Aiken
King Balthazar: Leon Lishner
Servant: Francis Monachino
Dancing Shepherds: John Butler, Glen Tetley, Carmen Gutierrez

Members of the Symphony of the Air
Thomas Schippers, conductor

Live telecast, December 25, 1955