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8.111364 bk Menotti3_EU:8.111364 bk Menotti3_EU 17-12-2010 18:25 Pagina 8 her release, and insisting she has done nothing wrong. exclaiming that he can run and jump. The Mother and The Page releases the Mother at a sign from Kaspar. the Three Kings follow him breathlessly. As he # Melchior tells the Mother that she may keep the stumbles his Mother tells him to be careful. The Kings Gian Carlo gold: He for whom it is intended will have no use for realise that Amahl has been blessed and ask if they it. He will build His kingdom on love. The Mother may touch him. They then ask if Amahl may travel throws herself at the feet of the Three Kings, telling with them. Amahl says that he would like to MENOTTI them to take back their gold – if she were not so poor accompany them. The Mother and Amahl say good- she too would send a gift to such a Child. Amahl bye to each other, the Mother all the time instructing Amahl and the Night Visitors offers his crutch as a gift. The Mother moves to stop him on what to do. As the shepherds sing, the Three him as he raises his crutch. As Amahl advances Kings, led by the Page, start their procession out of the Sebastian – Ballet Suite towards the Kings, he realizes that he has moved cottage. After a final farewell to his Mother, Amahl without the help of his crutch. Dazed he understands takes his place at the end of the procession, playing his ARLO ME that he can walk. As Amahl places his crutch in the pipe. As he disappears round the bend in the road, the C NO outstretched hands of the Three Kings, they sing of his Mother waves goodbye. N T IA T cure as a sign from God. G I $ Amahl begins to dance around the room, David Patmore Also Available 19 gs 46 din - 1951 Recor Chet Allen • Rosemary Kuhlmann • Andrew McKinley David Aiken • Leon Lishner • Frank Monachino Orchestra and Chorus • Thomas Schippers Robin Hood Dell Orchestra of Philadelphia 8.112023-24 Dimitri Mitropoulos 8.111364 8 8.111364 bk Menotti3_EU:8.111364 bk Menotti3_EU 17-12-2010 18:25 Pagina 2 3 Amahl tells her not to worry – if they have to beg, replies that he does. Amahl asks what the jeweled box he will entertain with his pipe and they will eat well. is, and Kaspar opens its drawers, displaying its jewels, His Mother says he is dreaming and tells him to kiss beads and licorice before Amahl’s astounded eyes. As her good-night. Amahl lies down to sleep and the Amahl seizes the licorice, his Mother returns, carrying Mother secures the door. some sticks. She reminds him not to be a nuisance and MENOTTI CENTENARY EDITION 4 From afar the Three Kings and the Page are heard. tells him to go and call the other shepherds, and to ask Amahl hobbles over to the window as they appear: them to bring whatever they can, as she has nothing to Melchior bearing gold, Balthazar myrhh, and Kaspar offer the Three Kings. As Amahl hobbles out, the incense. The Page walks before them carrying a heavy Mother moves to the fireplace. Seeing the riches laid Gian Carlo load, including a rug, a parrot and a jeweled box, as out in front of the Kings, she is irresistibly drawn well as a lantern. The Three Kings sing of their travels towards them. Melchior tells her that they are for the MENOTTI and ask how far they must wander, guided by the star. Child. The Mother asks which Child, and Melchior Melchior knocks on the door of the cottage. replies that they do not know, but the Star will guide (1911-2007) 5 The Mother tells Amahl to answer the door. Amahl them. does as she asks but quickly closes the door again, and 8 Melchior asks the Mother if she has seen a Child rushes to his mother, asking her to confirm what he the colour of wheat. She replies that she has – her son. Amahl and the Night Visitors has seen. When she asks him what is the matter, he Melchior and Balthazar, and then with Kaspar, repeat tells her that there is a King outside. She accuses him the question twice and the Mother replies that she has, Original Cast of the 1951 NBC Television Production once again of lying, and he agrees with her not once referring each time to Amahl. Opera in One Act - Libretto by the Composer but twice, as he gradually realises that there are three 9 The call of the shepherds breaks the hushed silence Kings outside. of the room. While Melchior wakes Kaspar up, the 6 The Mother opens the door of the cottage with shepherds gradually enter, led by Amahl. As they Amahl (a crippled boy of about 12) . Chet Allen (boy soprano) Amahl holding onto her skirts. When she sees the sing, they crowd around the door of the cottage, Three Kings she is amazed, and bows to them. amazed at the sight of the Three Kings and not daring His Mother . Rosemary Kuhlmann (mezzo-soprano) Balthazar asks if they may rest a while in her house. to enter. The Mother invites them in, and they enter The Three Kings: She replies that they are welcome to her humble home. gingerly, with fruit for the Kings. The Kings thank Kaspar (slightly deaf) . Andrew McKinley (tenor) They thank her, and enter, led by the Page. After they them warmly. The Mother invites them to dance. Melchior . David Aiken (baritone) have settled down, the Page spreads out the rug and 0 The shepherds perform a dance of ceremony and Balthazar . Leon Lishner (baritone) places on it the gifts which the Kings have brought for welcome. At first bashful in the presence of the Three The Page . Frank Monachino (baritone) the Child. Melchior thanks the Mother for her Kings, the shepherds gradually become more hospitality and tells her that they cannot stay long, as energetic in their dancing. Orchestra and Chorus they must not lose sight of the star and have far to ! Balthazar thanks the shepherds for their gifts and Thomas Schippers travel. The Mother goes out, telling Amahl not to be a their dancing. The shepherds leave, bidding the Three nuisance. Kings good night. After they have left, the Mother 7 While Kaspar feeds the parrot, Amahl asks prepares for bed. Amahl asks the deaf Kaspar Recorded in New York City, December 1951 Balthazar if he is a real King. He replies that he is. unsuccessfully if there is a cure for a crippled boy. All First issued on RCA Victor LM-1701 Amahl asks him where his home is, and Balthazar tells now prepare for sleep. The lights dim to denote the him that he lives in a marble palace. He asks Amahl passage of time. where he lives. Amahl replies that he is a shepherd, @ As the first rays of dawn light the interior of the Reissue Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Mark Obert-Thorn but that he no longer has a flock as his Mother sold it, cottage, the Mother cannot take her eyes off the and soon they will have to beg. Amahl then turns his treasure guarded by the Page. She wonders if the attention to Kaspar, and again asks him if he is a King, Kings know what could be done with it by those in this time loudly, as Baltahazar indicates that Kaspar is need. As she touches it, the Page suddenly wakes up, deaf. Kaspar responds and confirms that he is a real and takes hold of the Mother, accusing her of stealing King. Amahl asks if the parrot talks and bites. Kaspar the gold. Amahl throws himself at the Page, seeking 8.111364 2 7 8.111364 8.111364 bk Menotti3_EU:8.111364 bk Menotti3_EU 17-12-2010 18:25 Pagina 6 broadcast in 1978 and partially filmed in the Holy Prince, in love with a notorious courtesan, has two Amahl and the Night Visitors 46:25 8 Have you seen a Child 4:03 Land was not a success and was not repeated. possessive sisters, who are determined to disrupt this (Melchior, The Mother, Balthazar, Kaspar) Nonethless the opera lives on. Because Menotti had alliance. They steal the courtesan’s veil, knowing that 1 9 written a work that could be performed by amateur its possession will enable them to exercise black Amahl! Amahl! 3:42 Shepherds! Shepherdesses! 2:41 companies, it has become a Christmas fixture in many magic over her. Constructing a wax image of her, they (The Mother, Amahl) (Shepherds, The Mother, Melchior, communities. Its publishers, G. Schirmer, estimate cover it with her veil and plan to kill her by piercing 2 What was keeping you outside? 3:26 Kaspar, Balthazar) that it is performed at least five hundred times each the image with arrows, but the Moorish slave, (The Mother, Amahl) 0 Shepherds’ Dance 3:20 Christmas season. Sebastian, who is also in love with the courtesan, 3 Don’t cry, Mother dear 2:09 (Orchestra) The plot of Amahl and the Night Visitors is substitutes himself for the wax figure and takes the (Amahl, The Mother) ! Thank you, good friends 2:38 straightforward. The crippled boy Amahl lives in deadly arrows. By his self-sacrifice he breaks the evil 4 From far away we come (Balthazar, Shepherds, Amahl, Kaspar) poverty with his mother. They are visited by the Three power of the two sisters, and so reunites the Prince and and farther we must go 2:33 @ All that gold! All that gold! 3:47 Kings, the Magi, or the Three Wise Men, on their way his beloved.