The House Without a Christmas Tree @ Opera Las Vegas

Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek’s The House Without a Christmas Tree, is based on Gail Rock’s popular story and the beloved 1972 TV movie of the same name.

This heartwarming, family-friendly tale follows a precocious daughter, Addie, who struggles to understand her father’s resentment about the holidays and longs at last for a beautiful Christmas tree like other families have, to “make her house look happy.”

In this touching coming-of-age story, Addie learns empathy for her father, which is a key part of her growing up. Although she loves her father, all she seems to understand is his disapproval of her. Her grandmother helps her get a glimpse of her dad’s painful memory of the profound loss of Addie’s mother. Once Addie sees it, she takes positive action that changes all their lives for the better. Her father demonstrably feels her empathy, and they all change.

In short, everyone is healed by the transformative power of the Christmas season. This West Coast Premiere of The House Without a Christmas Tree stars soprano Cadie Jordan, baritone Gabriel Preisser, and mezzo-soprano Ashley Stone. Joshua Horsch conducts.