Gian Carlo Menotti

Gian Carlo Menotti photgraphed by Carl Van Vechten, 1944

Gian Carlo Menotti (/məˈnɒti/, Italian: [dʒaŋ ˈkarlo meˈnɔtti]; July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian-American composer and librettist. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept his Italian citizenship.

He is well-known for his 1951 one-act opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors. It was commissioned by NBC for broadcast on television. Menotti wrote the music and the words.