Review: Before There Was Charlie Brown, There Was Menotti’s AMAHL, now at Lincoln Center Theatre

Lincoln Center Theatre’s new Kenny Leon production of Gian Carlo Menotti’s AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS, presented in association with the Metropolitan Opera, is hardly “A Charlie Brown Christmas” or “The Nutcracker.” Yet it manages to give us faith, hope and charity at a time we could all use more than a little of it.

It’s hard to believe that the TV network that brought us “The Apprentice” (and all that it has wrought) once had grander aspirations, like The NBC Opera Theatre, for which AMAHL was written and premiered in 1951, being repeated several times at Christmas. (The series began its history, 1949-1964, with another Menotti effort, THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF, perhaps hitting its peak with a couple of appearances by famed soprano Leontyne Price, in an abbreviated TOSCA and as Pamina [!] in THE MAGIC FLUTE.)

Running less than an hour, AMAHL tells the story of a disabled young shepherd boy who catches sight of a giant star in the sky, though his mother doesn’t believe him. She’s too busy worrying about putting a crust of bread on the table to have much patience for what sounds like another of her son’s tall tales. (Though the Playbill places the setting as "The Present," there doesn’t seem to be much of a nod to that by director Leon.)

It takes the unexpected appearance of three wondrous kings and their page to open her mind and to start breaking through her heart, hardened by adversity. The wise men, following the same star Amahl has been watching, come laden with gifts for a special, newly born child. With not much to offer herself to add to their elaborate offerings, she invites her neighbors to help welcome the men appropriately, though she is jealous of what they have brought the babe and tries to steal some of their gold to help feed her own child.

Caught by the kings’ page, she apologizes, but when the understanding men offer to let her keep the precious trinkets, she refuses. Amahl wishes that he had something of value to give for himself—and offers his crutch, his sole possession, for them to take. Miraculously, as he is handing it away, he finds he no longer needs it and asks to join the men on their journey. Despite the worries of his mother, he sets off with them to find this special child, with optimism in his heart.

Though it’s Amahl whose name is in the title, it is his mother who is the star of the piece, particularly when she is portrayed by the wonderful acting singer, mezzo Joyce DiDonato, who proclaims it “her favorite opera.”

I’m not sure about how much I agree with that (though there’s something sweet about a 45-minute piece), but there’s something about an opera that shows off DiDonato like this one that’s just fine with me, particularly in the up-close-and-personal environment of the Newhouse Theatre, which has only about 299 seats. Menotti’s aria for her (to his own libretto), “All that Gold,” showed her dramatic abilities, her expressiveness, to their best, as she sang of her love for her son.

Boy soprano Albert Rhodes, Jr., as Amahl, is an old pro (for a 12 year old), who has a Broadway credit as the Young Simba in the Lion King, and he certainly held his own in a cast of adult opera and Broadway professionals. The three kings were first rate. Brian Jeffers as Kaspar, Todd Thomas as Melchior and Phillip Boykin (a crossover opera-Broadway expert) as Balthazar. Kudos also to Johnathan McCullough as the page, who confronts the mother, caught stealing gold from the gifts.

The simple, melodic score was handled suavely by two pianists, Nathaniel LaNasa and Riko Higuma, and the marvelous oboist, Jesse Barrett, under the sure baton of Steven Osgood.

The modest set and projection were the work of Derek McLane, with Adam Honore’s sensitive lighting, and choreography by Joana Alfonso. Marc Salzberg’s sound design was neatly balanced, while Emilio Sosa’s costumes hit just the right balance between opulence and simplicity for the kings and page, in particular, but throughout in general.

I’ve read that Lincoln Center Theatre has thought of AMAHL as a possible holiday perennial: A nice idea to bring younger audiences into the opera groove. 

AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS will be performed through January 4, at various times. See the Lincoln Center Theatre website for times and tickets.

Caption: Albert Rhodes, Jr. and Joyce DiDonato

Photo credit: Julieta Cervantes