TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1981
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AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS
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THE MUSIC OFFICE OF THE RECREATION AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT WILL PRESENT ITS FIRST OPERA FOR THE PUBLIC DURING THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.
THE OPERA WILL BE GIAN-CARLO MENOTTI'S AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS WHICH WILL BE PERFORMED AT THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY HALL ON THREE DAYS FROM DECEMBER 26.
WELL-KNOWN CONDUCTOR, SIR DAVID WILLCOCKS- THE MUSIC CONSULTANT TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, MR DAVID STONE, AND THE ASSISTANT MUSIC ADMINISTRATOR OF THE MUSIC OFFICE, MR THOMAS WANG, WILL EACH CONDUCT SEPARATELY THE HONG KONG YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IN THESE PERFORMANCES.
SEVERAL OUTSTANDING LOCAL VOCALISTS WILL ALSO TAKE PART IN THE OPERA. HEADING THE CAST IN THE ROLE OF AMAHL IS THE BOY, SOPRANO BRIAN CHEUNG, WITH SOPRANO ANNE CHENG AS HIS MOTHER.
THE THREE KINGS WILL BE KAN CHUNG-FAI, TENOR CHIANG WAI-MAN, BARITONE MICHAEL CHAN, BASS AND LEE K IN-CHUN AS THE PAGE.
THE HONG KONG ISLAND YOUTH CHOIR OF THE MUSIC OFFICE WILL FORM THE CHORUS OF SHEPHERDS.
THE DANCE SEQUENCES HAVE BEEN CHOREOGRAPHED AND WILL BE PERFORMED BY THE STEPHEN KWOK SCHOOL OF BALLET.
MR LO KING-MAN WHO IS WELL-KNOWN TO HONG KONG AUDIENCES AS A PRODUCER, DIRECTOR AND DESIGNER OF MANY OPERAS INCLUDING MADAME BUTTERFLY, LA TRAVIATA, TOSCA AND DON PASQUALE, HAS BEEN INVITED TO BE THE PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR OF THE PRESENTATION.
THE OPERA WHICH IS DEDICATED TO THE +YEAR OF THE DISABLED+, TELLS A STORY RELATING TO THE FIRST CHRISTMAS NEARLY 2 000 YEARS AGO.
THREE KINGS FROM THE ORIENT, FOLLOWING THE STAR TO THE NEW BORN CHRIST, STOP OVERNIGHT IN THE HOUSE OF A POOR WOMAN AND HER CRIPPLED SON, AMAHL.
NE IGHOUR ING SHEPHERDS GATHER TO BRING FOOD AND WELCOME THE ROYAL VISITORS.
WHILE THE KINGS ARE ASLEEP, THE MOTHER UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIES TO STEAL SOME OF THE IR TREASURE TO HELP HER SON. AFTER BEING
FORGIVEN FOR HER ACT, AMAHL OFFERS HIS CRUTCH AS A GIFT TO THE CHILD. FOR THIS NOBLE GESTURE, THE BOY FINDS HIMSELF MIRACULOUSLY CURED AND THEN FOLLOWS THE KINGS ON THE IR PILGRIMAGE.
/THE PRESIDENT