Celebrate the Wonder and Joy of the Season

Music and libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti

December 12, 2026, 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

December 13, 2026, 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

 

Stage West Theatre

821 W Vickery Blvd

 

The holiday season begins with Fort Worth Opera’s return to Stage West Theatre on Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, 2026, for Gian Carlo Menotti’s beloved Christmas opera Amahl and the Night Visitors, a heartwarming family tradition for local audiences. This quietly magical work has been cherished since its historic premiere, broadcast live on NBC on Christmas Eve 1951 as the first opera ever composed for television.

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Directed by Anthony D. Pound, this new production features the company’s talented Hattie Mae Lesley Resident Artists, including soprano Ashlyn Rock as Amahl’s devoted and protective mother, tenor Cecil Garrison as the warm and whimsical King Kaspar, bass Noah Mond as the noble King Melchior, and mezzo-soprano Lauren Salazar as the Page and Shepherdess. This timeless production honors the opera’s enduring legacy as a work that speaks with clarity and compassion to audiences of all ages.

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Long praised for its disarming simplicity and gentle emotional power, Amahl and the Night Visitors remains a perfect introduction to opera and a gift that deepens with every return.

 

Inspired by the Nativity story, the opera follows Amahl, a young disabled shepherd boy, whose encounter with the Three Kings leads to a moment of profound grace. Warm, intimate, and deeply human, the story reminds us that generosity, empathy, and kindness, when least expected, can bring about miracles.

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