The Dayton Philharmonic and Dayton Opera join forces to present a holiday spectacular that is sure to fill our hearts with the spirit of the season. In the first half of the program, the Dayton Philharmonic performs a selection of seasonal favorites in a festive atmosphere of music and song that will have the Schuster overflowing with holiday happiness.

After intermission, Amahl And The Night Visitors brings to life the story of three mysterious kings who are following a star to bring gifts to a wondrous child in a fully-staged, brand-new production created for Dayton Opera. The three kings stop for rest at the home of Amahl, a shepherd boy who lives in poverty with his mother, and when Amahl offers his own simple gift to the child, a miracle happens. Since its first performance on Christmas Eve 1951, this holiday classic has been performed on every continent in many languages and has been seen by more people than any other opera in history. A heartwarming story of kindness and generosity, it is the perfect first opera – or hundredth!

Patrick Reynolds, conductor

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

Beckel Christmas Fanfare

Coleridge-Taylor Christmas Overture

Arr. Wendel Coventry Carol

Ross T'was the night before Christmas (Sung by Alaina Saliba)

Arr. Wendel Still, Still, Still (With the Kettering Children's Choir)

Amundson Rejoice

Choplin For Us a Child is Born *

Whitacre Glow *

Leontovych (arr. McKay and Ames) Carol of the Bells *

Arr. Wendel A Merry Christmas Sing-along*

* With the Community Chorus

Amahl and the Night Visitors 

Music and Original Libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti

Patrick Reynolds, conductor

Kathleen Clawson, stage director

Qarrianne Blayr, choreographer

Jeffrey Powell, chorusmaster

Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra

Dayton Opera Chorus

Thank you to the following sponsors for their support of this performance:

Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan Anderson

The Family of Dorothy Lankford Ives

Jacqueline E. Lockwood Family Trust

Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association

Opera Guild of Dayton

The Jesse and Caryl Philips Foundation

Scenic Designer Inseung Park*

Costume Designer Lyn Baudendistel

Resident Lighting Designer John Rensel

Wig/Makeup Designers Thomas Venditelli and Cass Brake

Production Stage Manager Kelly DeLisle*

Assistant Stage Manager Lucy Guillemette

Rehearsal Pianist Cory Battey and Alison Hsieh*

Props Coordinator John Lavarnway

Surtitle Caller Linda H. Lally

Shop Technical Director and Lead Carpenter Kevin Nedberg

Lead Painter Britney Accrocco

Carpenters/Painters Isa Castillon, Natalie Jobe, Matthew Ley, James Hendricks, Dylan Serrano

Stitchers Ashton Brunn, Gail Carroll, Amanda McClure, Michelle Sampson, and Vicki Stonehouse

Wig/Makeup Assistant Breana Manchess

*Dayton Opera debut

Holiday concerts always bring a particular joy to audiences and musicians alike. Musical celebrations of the season such as this are especially wonderful in how they offer a time for us to gather as a community: the “hometown” in our Hometown Holiday Pops! This weekend’s Holiday Pops performances (the first half of our “double-header”), are full of hometown connections. We celebrate the season with Dayton’s own, Alaina Saliba, in a delightful musical rendition of “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and feature the fabulous Kettering Children’s Choir. A special treat is this year’s Community Chorus, including students from Miami East High School and Dayton’s Stivers School for the Arts, as well as singers from church choirs around our area. To top it all off, we all get to join together for a Christmas carol sing-along. All of this with your Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra! What a night....and that’s just the first half!

Patrick Reynolds

Amahl and the Night Visitors was my introduction to opera. I grew up in a church with a robust music program that produced Amahl almost every year. It was a family affair with my father singing the role of King Melchior and my mother designing costumes, and sparked a lifelong love for opera! When I became a professional singer, I sang the role of Mother at Lincoln Center with the Little Orchestra Society of New York (my son, who was five years old at the time was in the audience, and this was his first opera) so my personal connection to the piece runs deep. I think this “first opera” experience is common with Amahl and the Night Visitors. My hope is that this wonderful story of the miracle that occurs when we choose to give selflessly brings great joy to your Holiday season.

Kathleen Clawson