Menotti: Amahl and the Night Visitors - Classic Christmas Opera CD for Holiday Gatherings & Family Listening

Giancarlo Menotti slipped peacefully to his rewards recently after having composed some of the finest music of the last century. Although an Italian native, his ability to place English words in his vocal works in exactly the right places to allow singers their best production, he is still not performed often. His story lines are always poignant, whether for opera or ballet and his orchestral works strike at the emotional heart of the listener while giving the performers great opportunities to shine. His Christmas opera, "Amahl and the Night Visitors" was first telecast with a brilliant, wonderfully cast and directed group of singers and dancers and was an immediate success, scheduled to be repeated the following season. Only one copy of the tape was stored and, incredibly, was "accidentally" erased, before the second telecast. It was necessarily recast in the role of Amahl, since the first young boy's voice had changed. This is the result of that recasting, with the rest of the amazing singers and new boy recreating a blessed and beautiful masterpiece. I regret that the same care was not given to the visual aspects in the second, hastily produced telecast.In my opinion, this creation should be lovingly produced every year!I am a grateful singer of his works.