Two Christmas themed operas, and some additional holiday music, will be featured on this week’s Sunday Opera (12/24 3:00 p.m.). The first is Hans Pfitzner’s charming fantasy entitled “Das Christ-Elflein” about a wood elf who travels with the Christ Child in order to find out more about humans and the celebration of Christmas. The cast includes Helen Donath, Janet Perry, Alexander Malta, and Nikolaus Hilebrand with Kurt Eichhorn conducting.
The second work is a setting of O’Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” by David Conte and Nicholas Giardini. This heartwarming tale of love and sacrifice features Aimee Puentes and Tim Krol as the young couple who sell their most prized possessions in order to buy Christmas presents for each other. The conductor for this recording is Nicole Palement. After the operas, join Michael Kownacky for Christmas music by Eileen Farrell, Joan Sutherland, Frederica von Stade, Kathleen Battle, and the King’s Singers to close out the program.
