* For every child ticket sold one will be given to a child in the community.
In time for the holiday season, Opera on the James and Liberty University School of Music bring Gian Carlo Menotti’s magical Christmas tale, Amahl and the Night Visitors, to the Historic Academy Theatre. At its core, this heart-touching piece is a retelling of the story of the Three Kings—Melchior, Balthasar, and Gaspar—who visited the infant Christ while he lay in a manger in Bethlehem. The hero of the opera, Amahl, is a disabled boy who, through his meeting with the Three Kings, discovers the meaning of generosity and grace. Its Christmas message has moved audiences since it was first performed in 1951, in a live performance from Rockefeller Center transmitted coast to coast over the airwaves by NBC.
Meet the Cast
Bowden Miller - Amahl
Bowden Miller is excited to make his operatic debut as Amahl. Bowden enjoys performing and until today, his favorite role has been as Simba in The Lion King Jr. in Liberty University’s summer theater camp in 2018. In April, he will perform the role of Book Seller in T.C.Miller’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.” Bowden enjoys playing the violin and is very passionate about basketball and baseball. He is a member of All Peoples Church, is the son of Drs. Gabriel and Samantha Miller and big brother to Jude.
Samantha Miller - Mother
West Virginia native, Samantha Miller, is thrilled to make her debut with Opera on the James alongside her son, Bowden. Samantha enjoys a hybrid career in opera, oratorio, musical theater and commercial genres. Samantha was an artist in the prestigious Martina Arroyo Prelude to Performance program in New York City and a Resident Artist at Virginia Opera. In addition, she has appeared with companies such as Southern Ohio Light Opera, Akron Lyric Opera, Opera Louisiane, Opera in the Heights, Opera Columbus. Her most notable roles include Musetta in La Bohème, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Adina in L’elisir d’amore. Samantha performs concert repertoire with professional choral ensembles and symphony orchestras throughout the region and will make her debut with Roanoke Symphony in just a few weeks as a Messiah soloist. Dr. Miller is an Associate Professor of Music at Liberty University and is the worship leader at All Peoples Church in Lynchburg, along with her husband, Gabriel. She resides in Lynchburg with Gabriel and her two sons, Bowden and Jude.
E. Daryl Duff - Balthazar
E. Daryl Duff is an Assistant Professor of Commercial Music and Voice at Liberty University School of Music. He is a retired Chief Musician who served 23 years as soloist, vocalist and Leading Chief Petty Officer with the United States Navy Band Sea Chanters Chorus. Stationed in Washington D.C. from 1990-2013, he provided musical support to 4 U.S. Presidents, the Department of the Navy, as well as senior ranking military and government officials. He has been a featured soloist on 7 U.S. Navy Band recordings and several U. S. Navy Band concerts televised by the Armed Forces Network.
Richard M. Jupin - Melchior
Dr. Richard M. Jupin is a vocal pedagogue, performer, Kodály music educator, and Alexander Technique practitioner. Completing his undergraduate studies in Music Education at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance and Voice Science from Louisiana State University. Dr. Jupin’s vocal studies include working with master vocal pedagogues Stephen Austin, Cornelius Reid, and Thomas Blaylock. Presently, he serves locally at Heritage Baptist Church. Dr. Jupin has performed multiple times with the Opera on the James, and performs regularly on the Liberty School of Music Faculty Concert Series.
John W. Hugo - Kaspar
Dr. John W. Hugo trained with many outstanding teacher/performers, but the most influential was legendary New York Pro Musica tenor Ray DeVoll (d. 1993), with whom he studied for many years. Hugo specializes in French and German classical repertoires, and has performed solo roles in major works by Bach and Handel. He has performed leading tenor roles (Ralph Rackstraw, Edwin, and Lord Tolloller) in several Gilbert & Sullivan productions. This is his fourth LU performance of the role of Caspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors.
He has appeared as tenor soloist with the Opera Roanoke, Phoenix Bach Society, the Shenandoah Bach Festival, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, the Lynchburg Symphony, the Salem Choral Society, the Jefferson Choral Society, and in theatrical productions at Liberty University and at the Lynchburg Performing Arts Center. He has also performed the Messiah arias around the country for nearly 40 years.
Dr. Hugo is a former Governor of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, Virginia District. He holds the Master of Vocal Performance degree from Arizona State University, where he studied with renowned tenor Warren Hoffer. He currently serves as Chairman of the Department of Music Theory and History at the Liberty University School of Music. He teaches undergraduate private voice, choirs, music history, and choral conducting. He is also the founding Chorus Master of the Roanoke Symphony Chorus, and is now in his 21st year of service in that position.