PREMIERE OF AMAHL UND DIE NÄCHTLICHEN BESUCHER
Gian Carlo Menotti's opera Amahl und die nächtlichen Besucher, a touching Christmas story about the boy Amahl, kicks off our new family opera series. After its American premiere in 1951, the work developed into a popular Christmas tradition in many countries and was premiered yesterday under the direction of artistic director Stefan Herheim.
Stefan Herheim carefully shifts the play to the present day and takes the protagonist Amahl, whose name means "hope" in Arabic, out of his not-so-simple reality into a fantasy world.
The audience celebrated all those involved in the production: the soloist of the Vienna Boys' Choir in the title role, Dshamilija Kaiser as Amahl's mother, Paul Schweinester, Nikolay Borchev and Wilhelm Schwinghammmer as the humorous holy three kings as well as the dancers, the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and the pupils of the Liesing Music School. Magnus Loddgard conducts the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
The family opera can be experienced until 27 December at the MuseumsQuartier | Halle E.