Aida | Metropolitan Opera House (1988)

Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
Librettist: Antonio Ghislanzoni
Premiere: 24 December 1871, Cairo (Khedivial Opera House)
Conducted by Giovanni Bottesini.
Language: Italian

Aida is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette. Isma'il Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, commissioned Verdi to write the opera for performance in January 1871, paying him 150,000 francs, but the premiere was delayed because of the Franco-Prussian War. One scholar has argued that the scenario was written by Temistocle Solera and not by Auguste Mariette. Metastasio's libretto Nitteti (1756) was a major source of the plot. Contrary to popular belief, the opera was not written to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, nor that of the Khedivial Opera House (which opened with Verdi's Rigoletto) in the same year. (Verdi had been asked to compose an ode for the opening of the Canal, but declined on the grounds that he did not write "occasional pieces".)

Synopsis
Place: Egypt
Time: The libretto does not specify a precise time period, so it is difficult to place the opera more specifically than the Old Kingdom.

Backstory: The Egyptians have captured and enslaved Aida, an Ethiopian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radamès, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the King of Egypt. To complicate the story further, the King's daughter Amneris is in love with Radamès, although he does not return her feelings.

Aida Libretto: https://www.opera-arias.com/verdi/aida/libretto/
English Translation: https://www.opera-arias.com/verdi/aida/libretto/english/

Cast:
Aprile Millo: Aida
Dolora Zajick: Amneris
Plácido Domingo: Radamès
Sherrill Milnes: Amonasro
Paata Burchuladze: Ramfis
Dimitri Kavrakos: The King
Margaret Jane Wray: A Priestress
Mark Baker: A Messenger (as Mark W. Baker)

Directed by Brian Large
Production Design by Gianni Quaranta
Costume Design by Dada Saligeri
Orchestra: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
Conductor: James Levine
Chorus: Metropolitan Opera Chorus
Chorus Master: David Stivender
Ballet: Metropolitan Opera Ballet
Choreographer: Rodney Griffin