Amahl and the Night Visitors Trivia Quiz

Answer: In the Middle East

Amahl is a crippled young boy whose father has passed away. He was a shepherd, but his mother has been obliged to sell their sheep to buy food. They live somewhere on the path taken by the magi to Bethlehem.

Answer: Around the birth of Christ

As the opera opens, Amahl is outside the hut he and his mother share. He sees the star of Bethlehem ("A star as large as a window; and the star has a tail").

Answer: A shepherd

Amahl is blessed with an active imagination - he has told his mother stories about a leopard with a woman's head and a fish as big as a boat among others. So she's not inclined to believe him when he tells her about the star - or the visitors.

Answer: Theophilus

When the three kings come knocking on their door, Amahl's mother first tells him to go see who it is. He comes to the door, sees who is there, and tells his mother there are three kings outside but she doesn't believe him - until she goes to the door herself.

Answer: Just like everyone else's

Amahl's mother has gone to get wood, and curious, Amahl asks if Balthazar is a real king (he is) and if he has royal blood (he does).
"Can I see it?"
"It is just like yours"
"What's the use of having it then?" Amahl asks.
"No use"

Answer: She died of old age

Answering another of Amahl's questions, Balthazar has described his palace, and then asks Amahl what he does. "I was a shepherd, I looked after the sheep. But my mother sold them, sold them, now there are no sheep left. I had a black goat. She gave me warm sweet milk. But she died of old age, old age. Now there is no milk left."

Answer: Licorice

Kaspar is slightly deaf, and travels with a parrot (who bites) and his box. In the box are magic stones for healing and protection, beads (Kaspar loves to play with beads), and licorice, which Kaspar shares.

Answer: Steal some gold

Amahl's mother sends Amahl to gather the other shepherds to bring food and entertainment for the guests. After dining and watching some of the shepherds dance, the kings and Amahl go to sleep. But his mother cannot sleep - she is tormented by all the gold they are taking on to Bethlehem. Even a little bit of the gold would free them from their poverty. After a struggle, she decides that she will steal a little "they'll never miss it". Of course she gets caught by the kings' page.

Answer: Bethlehem

Amahl tries to protect his mother from the page, and appeals to the kings to help her. They take pity on her and him and explain that the child they seek will build his kingdom on love alone. Amahl says that he would give this child his crutch - "Who knows, he may need one, and this I made myself." He is miraculously healed and is able to walk without it. The kings suggest that he should come with them to Bethlehem to give his crutch to the child, and the opera ends.

Answer: NBC TV

NBC commissioned Menotti to write a one-act opera for broadcast by Christmas 1951. Menotti was stumped for a subject until he saw Hieronymus Bosch's painting "The Adoration of the Magi" in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The opera was the first opera to be written for television in the US, and was the first production of any kind for the "Hallmark Hall of Fame" series of specials.