Regrettably the original tape of the '51 telecast was inadvertently erased and lost for all time. The audio is widely available on an RCA recording with the original cast. I never saw the '63 version but it was directed by Kirk Browning, who had directed the '51 original. Most of the stories concerning Menotti not finishing the work are pure nonsense. Menotti stayed in contact with Chet Allen (the original Amahl) and saw him just a year before Allen committed suicide at the age of 44 in Columbus, Ohio. After he (Allen) got older his life and career just didn't go anywhere and he became an angry, bitter man. He ended his life with an overdose of anti-depressant drugs. The original telecast was in color but almost no TV sets received in color in '51. The '63 version has not been released on either video or DVD. In 2007 a DVD was released of the 1955 telecast of Amahl. The cast is the same as the '51 telecast except for Amahl -- performed by Bill McIver who did it for four years running. The DVD is in black and white and appears to have been transfered from a kinescope. The performance is first rate, though. One of the extras is a long interview with Rosemary Kuhlman (the Mother) and is very interesting. I highly recommend this DVD to anyone who loves Amahl.
Review of Amahl and the Night Visitors
