Two popular Christmas one-act operas, often traditionally played to celebrate Christ's birth: American composer Gian Carlo Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors and English composer Frank Bridge's The Christmas Rose, a play for children.
Amahl and the Night Visitors describes the little cripple boy's reception of the Magi (the Three Kings), on their way to Bethlehem.
The Christmas Rose is an opera for children.
1. Amahl and the Night Visitors
- Composer: Gian Carlo Menotti (July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007)
- Libretto: Gian Carlo Menotti. The opera is inspired by Hieronymous Bosch's painting "The Adoration of the Magi."
- Language: English
- Premiere: New York City, NBC Television Opera Theater, December 24, 1951.
- Setting: Near Bethlehem in the 1st century AD.
- A Miracle One-Act Opera. One Scene.
Roles / Characters
- Amahl, a lame boy (boy soprano)
- Amahl's mother (soprano)
- King Kaspar (tenor)
- King Melchior (baritone)
- King Balthazar (bass)
- Page of the Three Kings (bass or baritone)
- Chorus: Shepherds and villagers
Synopsis / Summary of Amahl and the Night Visitors
Scene: Cottage of Amahl's mother and the surrounding countryside
- Amahl's mother puts him to bed.
- She does not believe in the story of a bright star with a flaming tail but is more concern how they will eat to survive.
- A knock of the door awakens them: three kings are asking for shelter.
- Mother gets wood for the fire and sends for the other shepherds to bring food and gifts.
- The kings explain they are following a star that will lead them to the Child.
- After everyone has gone to sleep, the mother, out of need tries to steal the king's gold, but their Magi's page catches her.
- Amahl defends his mother, the kings understand, and let her keep the gold.
- When Amahl offers to send the Child his crutch as a gift, he was able to walk and his lameness healed.
- Amahl joins the three kings on their journey, with his mother's blessings. .
2. The Christmas Rose
- Composer: Frank Bridge (February 26, 1879 – January 10, 1941)
- Libretto: Frank Bridge. Based on the play for children by Margaret Kemp-Welch and Constance Cotterell.
- Language: English
- Premiered: London, Royal College of Music (RCM), December 8, 1932.
- Setting: Bethlehem and environs in the 1st century AD. Roses grow up through the snow.
- A Children's Miracle Opera in One-Act. Three Scenes.
Characters / Roles
- First shepherd (tenor)
- Second shepherd (baritone)
- Third shepherd (bass baritone)
- Miriam (soprano)
- Reuben (mezzo)
- Chorus: Peasants, offstage women.
Synopsis / Summary of The Christmas Rose
Scene 1. At night on the hills of Bethlehem
- Three shepherds are visited by an angel who tells them the Savior has been born in Bethlehem.
- They decide to look for the Child.
- Miriam, the daughter of one of the shepherds, is suppose to look after her brother, Reuben.
- The children disobey their father and set out to see the Child themselves.
Scene 2. The way to Bethlehem
- On the way, they are lost, but a star appears to guide them
Scene 3. Before the inn
- The children arrive at the stable. They are afraid to enter without a gift.
- Miraculously, roses appear and the children gather them up.
- The children enter the stable doors.
Source:
The Da Capo Opera Manual by Nicholas Ivor Martin, Da Capo (1997)
