Music from a shepherd’s pipe filled the cold winter air. Wrapped in a heavy cloak, a boy sat in the evening shadow, piping steadily. As he played, stars appeared in the darkening sky. The boy could see that one star burned more brightly than the others, and he could not take his eyes from it.
And so, begins the story of a lame boy with a crutch sitting beside his small desert home near Bethlehem in the early years of the first century. This story is the text of a one-act opera for children entitled, ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors.’ Amahl is the only child of a young widow who has sold their flock of sheep to have money for food. On this chilly night, they will be visited by three unusual figures and their lives will change forever. The Night Visitors are strange kings from a faraway land, who are following the bright star.
This children’s opera was created by Gian Carlo Menotti in 1951 for the National Broadcasting Corporation in New York City. It was the first opera created specifically for television. Menotti created the story and composed the music for this short opera. He links together the shepherds of St. Luke’s Gospel with the wise men of St. Matthew’s Gospel.
Amahl and his mother and their shepherd neighbours are near the bottom of the social ladder. Their poor lives are precarious, dependent on the weather and the health of their flock. The Night Visitors are the opposite. They have wealth and a high status in their country. They are kings, but they also are wise men who believe that a greater power than theirs resides in the heavens above. They believe in this unknown power so strongly that they begin a long and arduous journey in search of a divine Child.
By bringing the two gospel stories together, Menotti underlines the message that the Christ Child was born into the reality of earthly life with all its diversity of race, religion, and social status. He also makes the gospel stories more personal by creating individual people with names and identifiable characteristics. The anonymous shepherds of St. Luke’s gospel become a lame boy, his mother, and their many neighbours.
The wise men of St. Matthew’s gospel become elderly King Kasper, who is a little deaf, King Melchior, who wears a jeweled crown, and King Balthazar, the youngest king. The kings are carrying rich treasures for the special Child, but they receive invaluable gifts from the poor shepherds. Amahl’s mother welcomes them into her humble home even though she has no food and only a meager fire for warmth. The kings are grateful for her hospitality. Neighbouring shepherds bring fruit, olives and cheese, saying, ‘this is all we shepherds can offer,’ but the kings thank them for their kindness.
The climax of the opera comes in the middle of the night when everyone appears to be asleep. Amahl’s mother is troubled by temptation. She wonders if the wealthy kings would miss a little of the gold, which would mean so much for the care of her child. As she moves toward the gold, the servant of the kings awakes and captures her. He drags her before the kings and accuses her of theft, but King Melchior tells her to keep the gold. He says, ‘the Child we seek doesn’t need our gold. He will build a kingdom on love alone.’ Amahl’s mother rushes to kneel before the kings, exclaiming, ‘Take your gold! I’ve waited all my life for such a king. And if I weren’t so poor, I would send a gift of my own to such a Child.’ Then Amahl speaks up, ’let me send him my crutch that I made myself.’ As Amahl steps forward with the crutch, he begins to walk on his own. There is great joy and excitement as Amahl starts to run and dance. The kings declare, ‘It is a sign from the Holy Child.’ Amahl begs his mother to allow him to go with the kings to present his crutch to the Holy Child himself, and she reluctantly agrees.
In his opera, Menotti imagines an encounter between an ordinary child and three extraordinary men from a foreign land. The men carry amazing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for a very special Child foretold by a brilliant star, but these mysterious kings also bring a great gift for Amahl, his mother and their shepherd friends. That great gift is hope, hope for a brighter future of love and compassion for all people in the kingdom of the Holy Child.
For over 2,000 years, the search for the Holy Child has transformed the lives of millions of people around the world. It is a search which will and must continue in the hearts and minds of people who can see hope for humanity in the Child born in Bethlehem and are willing to bring that gift of hope into the lives of others. With God’s help, so may it be.
An Epiphany Opera
Music from a shepherd’s pipe filled the cold winter air. Wrapped in a heavy cloak, a boy sat in the evening shadow, piping steadily. As he played, stars appeared in the darkening sky. The boy could see that one star burned more brightly than the others, and he could not take his eyes from it.
And so, begins the story of a lame boy with a crutch sitting beside his small desert home near Bethlehem in the early years of the first century. This story is the text of a one-act opera for children entitled, ‘Amahl and the Night Visitors.’ Amahl is the only child of a young widow who has sold their flock of sheep to have money for food. On this chilly night, they will be visited by three unusual figures and their lives will change forever. The Night Visitors are strange kings from a faraway land, who are following the bright star.
This children’s opera was created by Gian Carlo Menotti in 1951 for the National Broadcasting Corporation in New York City. It was the first opera created specifically for television. Menotti created the story and composed the music for this short opera. He links together the shepherds of St. Luke’s Gospel with the wise men of St. Matthew’s Gospel.
Amahl and his mother and their shepherd neighbours are near the bottom of the social ladder. Their poor lives are precarious, dependent on the weather and the health of their flock. The Night Visitors are the opposite. They have wealth and a high status in their country. They are kings, but they also are wise men who believe that a greater power than theirs resides in the heavens above. They believe in this unknown power so strongly that they begin a long and arduous journey in search of a divine Child.
By bringing the two gospel stories together, Menotti underlines the message that the Christ Child was born into the reality of earthly life with all its diversity of race, religion, and social status. He also makes the gospel stories more personal by creating individual people with names and identifiable characteristics. The anonymous shepherds of St. Luke’s gospel become a lame boy, his mother, and their many neighbours.
The wise men of St. Matthew’s gospel become elderly King Kasper, who is a little deaf, King Melchior, who wears a jeweled crown, and King Balthazar, the youngest king. The kings are carrying rich treasures for the special Child, but they receive invaluable gifts from the poor shepherds. Amahl’s mother welcomes them into her humble home even though she has no food and only a meager fire for warmth. The kings are grateful for her hospitality. Neighbouring shepherds bring fruit, olives and cheese, saying, ‘this is all we shepherds can offer,’ but the kings thank them for their kindness.
The climax of the opera comes in the middle of the night when everyone appears to be asleep. Amahl’s mother is troubled by temptation. She wonders if the wealthy kings would miss a little of the gold, which would mean so much for the care of her child. As she moves toward the gold, the servant of the kings awakes and captures her. He drags her before the kings and accuses her of theft, but King Melchior tells her to keep the gold. He says, ‘the Child we seek doesn’t need our gold. He will build a kingdom on love alone.’ Amahl’s mother rushes to kneel before the kings, exclaiming, ‘Take your gold! I’ve waited all my life for such a king. And if I weren’t so poor, I would send a gift of my own to such a Child.’ Then Amahl speaks up, ’let me send him my crutch that I made myself.’ As Amahl steps forward with the crutch, he begins to walk on his own. There is great joy and excitement as Amahl starts to run and dance. The kings declare, ‘It is a sign from the Holy Child.’ Amahl begs his mother to allow him to go with the kings to present his crutch to the Holy Child himself, and she reluctantly agrees.
In his opera, Menotti imagines an encounter between an ordinary child and three extraordinary men from a foreign land. The men carry amazing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for a very special Child foretold by a brilliant star, but these mysterious kings also bring a great gift for Amahl, his mother and their shepherd friends. That great gift is hope, hope for a brighter future of love and compassion for all people in the kingdom of the Holy Child.
For over 2,000 years, the search for the Holy Child has transformed the lives of millions of people around the world. It is a search which will and must continue in the hearts and minds of people who can see hope for humanity in the Child born in Bethlehem and are willing to bring that gift of hope into the lives of others. With God’s help, so may it be.
The Reverend Canon Dr. Sharyn Hall is an honorary member of the clergy at Christ's Church Cathedral, Hamilton.
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