Chet Allen, the First Amahl
In honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Christmas opera Amahl and the Night Visitors in the year 2026, and in gratitude for Chet Allen for his many contributions and gifts to the world, I am honored to present here a free online biographical sketch of his life.
Chet was the first boy to play the role of Amahl in the NBC broadcast of Amahl on Christmas Eve 1951. The 12-year-old was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, and was a member of the Columbus Boychoir School at the time.
Gian Carlo Menotti’s famous 45-minute opera was also the first production of the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Television performances of the work continued for decades, and the popular opera is performed throughout the world to this day. The libretto describes the three kings who are following the star to the Christ child in Bethlehem. They stop for an overnight stay at the house of Amahl, a crippled boy living with his poor mother. Amahl offers his crutch as a gift to be given to the child and is miraculously healed.