Fort Worth Opera Studio produced Amahl and the Night Visitors in 2002 with a young woman in the lead. This time, the role of Amahl will be performed by 11-year-old Eric Illick; his father, Joseph Illick, will conduct the show. Fort Worth Opera will host a complimentary “meet the cast” reception after each Fort Worth performance open to children and adults.

Fort Worth Opera Studio was established in 2002 as a training program for operatic artists beginning their professional careers. Four singers and one pianist are selected through national auditions to be in residence with Fort Worth Opera from mid-September through mid-May. The group tours Texas as part of the Children’s Opera Theatre and are traditionally given smaller roles in Fort Worth Opera’s main-stage productions. The company is hoping to add annual production of Amahl and the Night Visitors to the Studio program.

“Amahl will allow us to provide high quality, family friendly entertainment during the holidays while giving our young artists valuable experience and training at the same time,” says Darren K. Woods, Fort Worth Opera’s General Director. “Our collaboration with Opera East Texas makes this year even more special.”

Amahl and the Night Visitors is a Christmas story that marks two historical firsts: it was the first opera to be written for television and it was featured as the first Hallmark Hall of Fame special. It premiered December 24, 1951 on NBC. The composer and librettist, Gian Carlo Menotti, passed away on February 1, 2007. He reigned as one of America’s most prolific operatic composers for nearly four decades; his honors include a Pulizer Prize and a Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime achievement in the arts. Similar to the character Amahl, as a child Menotti was thought to be cured of a crippled leg after his nurse took him to a shrine.

Amahl tells the story of a crippled boy who by chance crosses paths with the three Wise Men on their way to visit the infant Jesus. The three men and their page need a place to stay for the night and, in spite of her poverty, Amahl’s mother generously offers her hospitality to the splendid visitors. The Kings take a liking to the energetic boy and feel pity for his mother, eventually giving her the gold originally intended for the baby Jesus, saying that the Child they seek has no need of it.

Amahl and his mother are enthralled by the idea of the Child; she begs the men to take back the gold and Amahl wants to send the Child his crutch. As he lifts his crutch to hand it over, he amazingly takes a step without it. The Kings give thanks to God as Amahl dances around. Still intent on giving his crutch to the Child, Amahl joins the men on their way to meet the Child.

Performance dates are:

• December 14 at 7:30 pm

• December 15 at 3:00 pm

• December 15 at 7:30 pm

• December 16 at 3:00 pm -- www.fwopera.org