A Modern Christmas Classic At Edmond Town Hall

The Newtown Cultural Arts Commission has arranged for a special performance of WestConn Opera Ensemble’s production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s holiday classic, Amahl and the Night Visitors right here in Newtown. A performance at Edmond Town Hall will be offered on Saturday, December 13, at 8 pm.

Tickets are $12 adults, $8 seniors and students under 14.

The engaging one-act opera in English is produced and staged by Dr Margaret Astrup, supported by a full orchestra, and runs just over an hour.

Donations and all proceeds will go to support the Edmond Town Hall Theater. Call 994-1217 for ticket reservations.

Set at the time of the first Christmas, Amahl and the Night Visitors is an inspiring tale with a message of generosity and giving.  Featuring hauntingly beautiful melodies, delightful humor and a heart-tugging miraculous ending, families will be captivated from start to finish. The story tells of a crippled shepherd boy and his impoverished mother, who experience a miraculous transformation brought about by faith, love and forgiveness.

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission Chairperson Jennifer Johnston noted: “We are delighted to bring this beloved production to Newtown. Amahl and the Night Visitors is a work that finds radiance in its elegant simplicity. Not only is it an opera the entire family can enjoy, but it is one that is certain to put families in the spirit of the holidays.”

Dr Margaret Astrup, professor of music at Western Connecticut State University, is the director and orchestra conductor for this production which features WestConn music students and community members in principle roles. WCSU has been staging this opera to much acclaim for 14 years.

This year’s cast stars 12-year-old Nicholas Marmor of Hamden in the role of Amahl.  Amahl’s mother will be played by Amanda Forker of Wethersfield.  The kings are portrayed by Scott Marron of Branford as Kaspar, Hernan Berisso of Greenwich as Melchior, and Alexander Patrie of Griswold as Balthazar.  Matthew Popp of Orange is cast as the pages.

Originally commissioned by the NBC studios to be the debut production of the Hallmark Hall of Fame on Christmas Eve 1951, Menotti’s work made history as the first opera composed specifically for American television, and has been an enduring Christmas favorite ever since. The concept for the opera was partly inspired by a chance viewing of Hieronymus Bosch’s painting The Adoration of the Magi at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Newtown Cultural Arts Commission was created by a town ordinance to stimulate, facilitate, coordinate and cooperate with existing artists and arts organizations in order to further the development of the cultural arts in Newtown. The commission began its work in June 2007 and meets monthly.

The commission recently launched a website which will showcase the arts and artists in Newtown. It also recently launched The Flagpole Radio Café, a monthly coffeehouse-style offering that will return to the town hall’s Alexandria Room on December 20. Information about that project is available by calling 364-0898.

In the months to follow, Newtown residents and cultural organizations should expect a greater presence of the commission, as its preparatory work comes into fruition and its endeavors to celebrate the value of art in society, capitalize on the positive economic impact of the arts, and promote the work of the many gifted artists who reside in Newtown, begins to blossom. Anyone interested in joining the Auxiliary Board should contact the First Selectman’s Office in Town Hall at 270-4201.