Back to Press Releases
Chamber Opera Chicago presents "Amahl" and Victoria Bond's "The Miracle of Light"
The Miracle of Light, the one-act Hanukkah opera by Victoria Bond, that received its world premiere last year, returns to Chicago on Sunday, December 10 and Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 3 pm, performed by Chamber Opera Chicago. Bond's opera is paired on a double-bill with Gian Carlo Menotti's holiday favorite Amahl and the Night Visitors. Performances are at the Royal George Theatre (1641 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614). Ticketing information TBA.
This marks the 12th season that Chamber Opera Chicago has produced Gian Carlo Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors, with original direction by Francis Menotti, based on his father's original 1951 production, assisted by Kyle Dougan. One of the most inspiring operas of all time, Amahl is the story of a poor shepherd boy whose life changes forever when he sees an amazing star "as big as a window," delivering a timeless message of how faith, charity, unselfish love and good deeds can work miracles. Sung in English with orchestra conducted by Victoria Bond.
The Miracle of Light Victoria Bond composed the music for The Miracle of Light, joining forces with the New York Times best-selling children's author and illustrator Susan L. Roth for the libretto. The one-act family opera was commissioned by The Young Peoples Chorus of New York City, who developed the opera in workshop performances.
Set in a contemporary classroom, The Miracle of Light tells the story of a boy who experiences his own personal miracle while learning about the historic miracle of Hanukkah. The opera includes traditional Hanukkah songs as well as original music by Bond and libretto and artwork by Roth. "Having conducted Amahl and the Night Visitors with Chamber Opera Chicago since 2005, I wanted to create a similar piece for the concurrent Jewish holiday, a short work that could eventually be paired with Menotti's classic tale, " said Ms. Bond.
Victoria Bond and the librettist Susan L. Roth have a long history of collaboration, including Bond's music for Roth's books Do Re Mi, Nothing But Miracles, and Listen to the Wind. The Miracle of Light is orchestrated for the same instrumentation as Amahl and the Night Visitors.