Aida

One of the most frequently performed operas across the globe, Verdi’s Aida is virtually synonymous with operatic pageantry and exoticism, its splendid choruses, lavish ballets and the “Triumphal March” framing a remarkably intimate tale of disappointed love and betrayal. The genesis of Aida dates to 1869, when the ruling governor of Egypt invited Verdi to write an opera about the people of Ancient Egypt for the opening of the Cairo Opera House. The French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette fashioned a story that positioned Egypt as a modern, developed nation, while capitalising on the 19th-century fascination for the ancient world of pyramids, mummies and pharaohs. Verdi turned down the initial invitation, but eventually warmed to the project after Mariette suggested that he might approach Wagner instead. Though Verdi never set foot in Egypt, he researched ancient Egyptian instruments; one outcome was the construction of six special trumpets to depict the nation’s military might. The plot—a love triangle involving two women, the Ethiopian slave Aida and the Egyptian princess Amneris, and their love for the same man, Radamès—is told through scenes of French grand opera spectacle, notably the chorus “Gloria all’Egitto” (“Glory to Egypt”). But there are also intimate arias, including Radamès’ “Celeste Aida” and Aida’s “Ritorna vincitor”, as well as five duets, concluding with “O terra, addio”. Following the triumphant 1871 premiere in Cairo, the work debuted to acclaim in European and North American capitals.