As Amahl left his mother in their poor shepherd's hut to follow the three kings to the Christ child, the curtains slowly fell to thunderous applause, almost drowning out the final notes of the live orchestra. Then the curtains opened again for a standing ovation for the talented cast and musicians who performed Gian-Carlo Menotti's opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors.
The performers were exhausted but exuberant after two performances at the Kirkland Performing Arts Center in Kirkland, Wash., Oct. 30, 2004. The cast consisted of members from the following musical groups: Impact, Puget Sound Adventist Youth Chorale (PSAYC), and the Men of Kirkland. Estyn Goss, director of the three singing groups, came up with this ambitious project last spring as a fundraiser to help finance an educational music trip to Europe next June.
After practicing throughout the summer and performing at three different churches this fall, the musicians were ready to tackle this delightful opera. Teresa MacDonald, a PSAA senior, performed the part of Amahl, a crippled shepherd boy. Carina Kretschmer, a junior, played the part of Amahl's mother. Men of Kirkland, Estyn Goss, Jack Barrow III and Richard Graham were decked out in all their royalty as the three kings who visited the poor shepherd's hut.
The Impact and PSAYC singers, who were the shepherds, polished both their musical and physical skills by singing with live orchestra accompaniment while maneuvering down the steep steps of the performing arts center.
The musical performance was made possible with the help and support of the PSAA faculty, the families of the performers, and many church members.
PSAA students and friends perform Amahl and the Night Visitors in Kirkland.
