This holiday season, Purchase College Opera will present Gian Carlo Menotti’s beloved Christmas classic, “Amahl and the Night Visitors.”

After making its 1951 television premiere on NBC, “Amahl and the Night Visitors” has become a favorite for many families, and especially children. Jacque Trussel, Director of Purchase Opera, describes the work as “a perfect introduction to opera for all audiences.”

The story follows Amahl, an imaginative child, and his widowed mother. Their struggle for survival is changed one night when three strangers arrive at their door, seeking a place to take shelter for the night.

This production will feature a number of students from the Conservatory of Music’s Voice and Opera Studies Area, a program whose past productions have earned 14 top awards from the National Opera Association and the American Prize.

“We are thrilled to give our students the opportunity to perform this timeless piece, while at the same time providing the community with an approachable, world-class opera experience in a local venue,” added Trussel.

“Amahl and the Night Visitors” will be performed Saturday, December 8, 2018, at 7:00 p.m, and the following day, Sunday, December 9, at 1:00 p.m. The performance is set to run for just under an hour, with no intermission.