from the one act English opera
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian-Carlo Menotti
Libretto: Gian-Carlo Menotti
Voice Part: soprano Fach: lyric soprano
Setting: a small shepherd's hut, the Middle East, around 0 AD
Synopsis: After everyone has gone to sleep, Amahl's mother gazes longingly at the gifts for the Messiah that the kings are carrying. She wonders if these obviously rich kings understand how the poor live their lives. She decides that this unknown child to whom they are bringing the gifts isn't as important as her own crippled son and grabs some of the gold. Immediately, she is caught by the page of the kings who is guarding the gifts. This aria (and the role itself) is frequently sung by both mezzo-sopranos and sopranos.
