Blinn College presents Christmas opera 'Amahl and the Night Visitors'

Children, public invited to performances Nov. 21 and 22 at Finke Recital Hall

November 12, 2025

The Blinn College District Music Department will present the beloved Christmas opera “Amahl and the Night Visitors” during four November presentations.

“Amahl and the Night Visitors” will be staged Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, with all performances at Finke Recital Hall in the Schmidt Building at 800 College Ave. on the Brenham Campus. Two special performances for schoolchildren will be held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Nov. 21. Public performances are at 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 22.

The opera is approximately one hour long and child-friendly. No tickets are necessary.

“This was the first American opera ever written for television in 1951, and it became an annual Christmas tradition on NBC for several years thereafter,” said Dr. Daniel Johnson, Voice Instructor and Assistant Choir Director, who will serve as stage director and conductor. “It is a story of the three Magi going to worship the Christ child and stopping at the hut of Amahl, a small, crippled boy, and his mother along their way.”

“Amahl and the Night Visitors” was composed by Gian Carlo Menotti. It is presented under license from G. Schirmer Inc., copyright owners.

Student performers will be Aalahni Reed (soprano) as Amahl; Ilária Calarco (soprano) as Amahl’s mother; Desh Nubal Cunningham (tenor) as Kaspar; Aidan Arrendondo (baritone) as Melchior; Leon Anderson (bass) as Balthazar; Nalani Koester (contralto) as the page boy, and chorus members Jada Strickland, McKenna Syer, Jackson Ford, and Blayne Lusk.

Pianists Stephanie Stevens and Tee Baluch will serve as the orchestra.

The Blinn College Music Department offers small classes, one-on-one attention, practical learning, and accessible faculty, ensuring students are actively engaged in a superior learning environment. Students can pursue an Associate of Arts Degree in Music that provides a solid foundation in the creative and technical aspects of music, including music theory, history, composition, and performance.

For more information regarding the Blinn Music Program, including scholarship and audition guidelines, visit www.blinn.edu/music.