‘Amahl and the Night Visitors’ returns to North County

“Amahl and the Night Visitors,” a one-act Christmas opera in English written by Gian Carlo Menotti, will be presented on Friday and Saturday, Dec.19 and 20 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church in Escondido. The Genesis Opera Theatre production features an all-star cast of talent drawn from Southern California’s San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside Counties, and is directed by Cynthia Leigh with musical direction by Abraham Fabella, according to a news release.

“Amahl…” was commissioned by the NBC Network and first broadcast on television on Dec. 24, 1951, on the network’s “Hallmark Hall of Fame.” It was inspired by “The Adoration of the Magi,” a painting hanging in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Based on old tales of the Nativity and Epiphany, “Amahl…” is a retelling of the story of the Magi from the point of view of a young disabled boy named Amahl, who lives in poverty with his poor widowed mother near Bethlehem.

Director Cynthia Leigh, who has directed and appeared in the production many times, says in the news release: “This heartwarming story is a perfect introduction to opera for kids as well as adults. It has been a sentimental favorite of mine for years and I’m thrilled to be able to share it with new audiences and seasoned operagoers alike.”

Genesis Opera Theatre’s mission is to make opera accessible to people of all ages for a reasonable price, and with the hope of inspiring young people to explore the art form further as participants or patrons, the news release stated.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for children 12 & under at the door or in advance at sdartstix.com. Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 845 Chestnut St. in Escondido. For more information, email genesisoperatheatre@gmail.com.