City to Host Annual Holiday Opera

The Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities will host the beloved children’s opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” on Sunday, December 8 at 4 p.m. at the Landmark Theater located at 6 North Laurel Street.

One of Richmond’s longest running traditions; the Department has offered free performances of this opera since the 1960s.  Pegged as the unofficial kick-off to the holiday festivities in the Richmond area, “Amahl and the Night Visitors” is perhaps the most recognized holiday opera experience for children of all ages. “This outstanding production exposes youngsters and adults to the medium of opera and brings together diverse communities to share in a common holiday tradition,” says Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Community Facilities.

The opera was written in 1951 by Gian-Carlo Menotti and focuses on Amahl, a young peasant shepherd boy with a talent for embellishing fact with a varnish of fantasy.  As the opera opens, Amahl is very excited because he has seen a truly strange and wondrous star outside, one with a long tail the likes of which he has never seen. His Mother dismisses his news, but a knock on their door reveals three kings who are following that very star.  The story unfolds as shepherds come from far and near to observe the visitors, and ultimately leads to the magic of a Christmas miracle.

Staging director George C. Macklin, Jr. will be retiring after a 49-year affiliation with the production, having started as King Balthazar before taking over the director’s chair.  He is joined by assistant director Charmaine McGilvary and music director Diana Covington Greer.  Principal cast members include Matthew Barbieri as Amahl, Bekah Hughes Davis as his Mother, J. David Clatterbuck, Raymond Elmore, and Ben Miller as the Kings Kaspar, Balthazar, and Melchior respectively, and Stanley Fountain as the Page.

This event is free to the public.  Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. and no reservations are necessary. For more information, please call (804) 646-1031.

Singers of All Ages Wanted for Holiday Performance

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will hold auditions for its 52^nd  production of the holiday operetta “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” The production is scheduled for December 8 at the Landmark Theatre. Director George Macklin Jr. and Musical Director Diana Covington Greer are looking for singers of all vocal ranges for the shepherds’ chorus.
     Auditions will be held on Monday, October 14, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center located at 4901 Old Brook Road. To audition, please prepare 12 bars of a song that best showcases your ability. Accompanist will be provided.
     Rehearsals for the holiday performance will begin immediately after casting. No performers will be paid. 
     For more information, call (804) 646-1031.

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Free Holiday Performance Set for December 9 at Landmark

The department will present its annual holiday gift to the city, its free production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors,” at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 9, at the Landmark Theater. 

     The one-act family musical composed by Gian Carlo Minotti was commissioned by NBC and broadcast live for the premiere of Hallmark Hall of Fame on Dec. 24, 1951. A heart-warming holiday classic that will charm both children and adults, it tells the story of the mischievous shepherd boy Amahl and his mother and how their lives are changed forever after meeting three kings.   

     The work is thought by some to be the most frequently produced opera in the world, and this will be the 51^st year that the department has offered this holiday production to the public for free.

     No reservations are required, and seating is based on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Auditions for holiday operetta announced

The department will hold auditions for its 51^st annual production of the holiday operetta “Amahl and the Night Visitors” on Wednesday, October 3, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, 4901 Old Brook Road. No appointment is necessary. 

     Director George Macklin, Jr. and Musical Director Diana Covington Greer seek a pre- or early-teenage boy soprano for the role of Amahl, and singers of all vocal ranges are invited to audition for the shepherds’ chorus.

      Auditionees are asked to prepare a song that best showcases their vocal abilities. An accompanist will be provided.

     Rehearsals will begin immediately after casting, and the performance will take place on December 9. No performers are paid. 

     For more information call (804) 646-1031.

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