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 (although there are scholars who argue that the scenario was really written by Temistocle Solera). It was first performed at the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo on December 24, 1871 under the baton of Giovanni Bottesini. For other uses, see Opera (disambiguation). ... Aida may refer to: In name: Aida, female given name Aida can be a Japanese name A Persian name In music: Aida, the opera by Giuseppe Verdi Aida, the musical by Elton John and Tim Rice whose story is based on that of the opera Aida (band), a Korean pop... For other uses, see Opera (disambiguation). ... “Verdi” redirects here. ... Antonio Ghislanzoni, nineteenth century Italian librettist. ... Antonio Ghislanzoni (25 November 1824 – July 16, 1893) was an Italian journalist, poet, and novelist who wrote many librettos for Verdi, among other composers, of which the best known are La forza del destino and Aida. ... A statue of Auguste Mariette in his home city of Boulogne-sur-Mer. ... Temistocle Solera (December 25, 1815 – April 21, 1878) was an opera composer and librettist. ... The Khedivial Opera House or Royal Opera House was the original opera house in Cairo, Egypt. ... For other uses, see Cairo (disambiguation). ... is the 358th day of the year (359th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Giovanni Bottesini. ...

Background

Ismail 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. 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.^[1] Verdi had been asked to compose an ode for the opening of the Canal, but refused on the grounds that he did not write "occasional pieces." Ismail Pasha, known as Ismail the Magnificent (December 31, 1830–March 2, 1895) was khedive of Egypt from 1863 until he was removed at the behest of the British in 1879. ... For the HMS Khedive, see USS Cordova. ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with South German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III François Achille Bazaine Patrice de Mac-Mahon, duc de Magenta Otto von Bismarck Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at wars beginning 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000... For other uses, see Suez (disambiguation). ... 1869 (MDCCCLXIX) is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Giuseppe Verdi, by Giovanni Boldini, 1886 (National Gallery of Modern Art, Rome) Rigoletto is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi. ...

Aida met with great acclaim when it finally opened in December 1871, and it continues to be a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. It appears as number sixteen on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America^[2]. There are many recordings, and it is one of the most popular operas. Opera America, officially OPERA America, is a service organization in North America promoting the creation, presentation, and enjoyment of opera. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...

Its story, but not its music, has been used as the basis for a 1998 musical of the same name written by Elton John and Tim Rice. Aida is a musical drama in two acts based on Giuseppe Verdis Italian-language opera by the same name, which is in turn based on a story by Auguste Mariette. ... Sir Elton Hercules[1] John CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is a five-time Grammy and one-time Academy Award-winning English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ... Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award winning lyricist, author, radio presenter and television gameshow panelist. ...

Roles

Giovanni Bottesini. ... This article is about the voice-type. ... A bass (or basso in Italian) is a male singer who sings in the deepest vocal range of the human voice. ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... In music, an alto is a singer with a vocal range somewhere between a tenor and a soprano. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ... For other uses, see Baritone (disambiguation). ...

Synopsis

The "triumphal scene" from Opera Pacific's production of Aida in 2006, starring Angela Brown as Aida, Donnie Ray Albert as Amonasro, Andrew Gangestad as Ramfis, Carl Tanner as Radames, Milena Kitic as Amneris, and Stefan Szkafarowsky as King of Egypt.

A summary of the plot of Aida is detailed below.^[4] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 427 pixel Image in higher resolution (1998 × 1067 pixel, file size: 375 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 427 pixel Image in higher resolution (1998 × 1067 pixel, file size: 375 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the... The triumphal scene from Opera Pacifics production of Aida in 2006, starring Angela Brown as Aida, Donnie Ray Albert as Amonasro, Andrew Gangestad as Ramfis, Carl Tanner as Radames, Milena Kitic as Amneris, and Stefan Szkafarowsky as King of Egypt. ... Image:Angie photo1. ... Carl Tanner Carl Tanner (born 1962, Arlington, Virginia) is an American operatic tenor. ... Mezzo-soprano Milena Kitić (born Belgrade, 1968) began her professional career with the Belgrade (former Yugoslavia) Opera, debuting in 1989 as Olga in Tchaikovskys Eugene Onegin. ...

Overview: Aida, an Ethiopian princess, is captured and brought into slavery in Egypt. A military commander, Radames, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. To complicate the story further, Radames is loved by the Pharaoh's daughter Amneris, although he does not return the feeling. For other uses, see Pharaoh (disambiguation). ...

Act I

Scene 1

A hall in the King's palace; through the rear gate the pyramids and temples of Memphis

Ramfis, the high priest of Egypt tells Radames, the young warrior, that war with the Ethiopians seems inevitable, and Radames expresses the hope that he be chosen as the Egyptian commander. (Ramfis, Radames : Si, corre voce I'Etiope ardisca).

Radames dreams both of gaining victory on the battle field and of Aida, the Ethiopian slave, with whom he is secretly in love (Radames: Se quel guerrier io fossi!...Celeste Aida - "Heavenly Aïda"). Aida, who is also secretly in love with Radames, is the captured daughter of the Ethiopian King Amonasro, but her Egyptian captors are unaware of her true identity. Her father has invaded Egypt to deliver her from servitude. Celeste Aida (Heavenly Aida) is the romanza in the opera Aida, by Giuseppe Verdi. ...

Amneris, the daughter of the Egyptian King enters the hall. She too loves Radames, but fears that his heart belongs to somebody else (Radames, Amneris: Quale insolita giola nel tuo squardo - "In thy visage I trace").

Then Aida appears and, when Radames sees her, Amneris notices that he looks disturbed. She suspects that Aida could be her rival, but she is able to hide her jealousy and approaches her (Amneris, Aida, Radames: Vieni, o diletta, appressati).

The wall at the stage opens wide, revealing a large hall

The King enters, along with the High Priest, Ramfis, and the whole palace court. A messenger announces that the Ethiopians, led by King Amonasro, are marching towards Thebes. The King declares war and also proclaims Radames to be the man chosen by the goddess Isis as leader of the army (The King, Messenger, Radames, Aida, Amneris, chorus: Alta cagion v'aduna - "Oh fate o'er Egypt looming"). Upon receiving the mandate from the King, Radames proceeds to the temple of Vulcan to take up the sacred arms (The King, Radames, Aida, Amneris, chorus: Su! del Nilo al sacro lido - "On! Of Nilus' sacred river, guard the shores").

The wall at the stage closes to reveal the earlier scene

Alone in the hall, Aida is torn between her love for her father, her country, and Radames. (Aida: Ritorna vincitor - "Return a conqueror").

Scene 2

Inside the Temple of Vulcan

Solemn ceremonies and dances by the priestesses take place (High Priestess, chorus, Radames: Possente Ftha...Tu che dal nulla - "O mighty Ptha.") followed by the installation of Radames to the office of commander-in-chief. (High Priestess, chorus, Radames: Immenso Ftha .. Mortal, diletto ai Numi - "O mighty one, guard and protect!"). All present in the temple pray for the victory of Egypt and protection for their warriors (Nume, custode e vindice).

Act II

Scene 1

In Amneris chamber

Dances and music to celebrate Radames' victory take place (Chorus, Amneris: Chi mai fra gi inni e i plausi - "Our songs his glory praising"'). However, Amneris is still in doubt about Radames' love and wonders whether Aida is in love with the young warrior. She tries to forget her doubt, entertaining her worried heart with the dance of Moorish slaves (Chorus, Amneris: Vieni: sul crin ti piovano).

When Aida enters the chamber, Amneris asks everyone to leave. By falsely telling Aida that Radames has died in the battle, she tricks her into professing her love for him. In grief, and shocked by the news, Aida confesses that her heart belongs to Radames eternally (Amneris, Aida: Fu la sorte dell' armi a' tuoi funesta).

This confession fires Amneris with rage, and she plans on taking revenge on Aida. Ignoring Aida's pleadings, (Amneris, Aida, chorus: Su! del Nilo al sacro lido) Amneris leaves her alone in the chamber.

Scene 2

At the grand gate of the city of Thebes

Radames returns victorious and the troops march into the city (Chorus, Ramfis: Gloria all'Egitto, ad Iside - "Glory to Egypt, to Isis!"). The Egyptian king decrees that on this day the triumphant Radames may have anything he wishes. The Ethiopian captives are rounded up and Amonasro appears among them. Aida immediately rushes to her father, but their true identities are still unknown to the Egyptians. Amonasro declares that the Ethiopian king (he himself) has been slain in battle. Aida, Amonasro and the captured Ethiopians plead with the Egyptian King for mercy, but the Egyptians call for their death (Aida, Amneris, Radames, The King, Amonasro, chorus: Che veggo! .. Egli? .. Mio padre! .. Anch'io pugnai).

As his reward from the King, Radames pleads with him to spare the lives of the prisoners and to set them free. Gratefully, the King of Egypt declares Radames to be his successor and to be his daughter's betrothed (Aida, Amneris, Radames, The King, Amonasro, chorus: O Re: pei sacri Numi! .. Gloria all'Egitto). Aida and Amonasro remain as hostages to ensure that the Ethiopians do not avenge their defeat.

Act III

On the banks of the Nile, near the Temple of Isis

Prayers are said (Chorus, Ramfis, Amneris: O tu che sei d'Osiride - "O thou who to Osiris art...") on the eve of Amneris and Radames' wedding in the Temple of Isis. Outside, Aida waits to meet with Radames as they had planned (Aida: Qui Radames verra .. O patria mia - "Oh, my dear country!").

Amonasro appears and forces Aida to agree to find out the location of the Egyptian army from Radames (Aida, Amonasro: Ciel, mio padre! .. Rivedrai le foreste imbalsamate - "Once again shalt thou gaze."). When he arrives, Amonasro hides behind a rock and listens to their conversation.

Radames affirms that Aida is the person he will marry ( Pur ti riveggo, mio dolce Aida .. Nel fiero anelito ; Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti .. La, tra foreste vergini ), and Aida convinces him to flee to the desert with her.

In order to make their escape easier, Radames proposes that they use a safe route without any fear of discovery and he also reveals the location where his army has chosen to attack. Upon hearing this, Amonasro comes out of hiding and reveals his identity. Radames feels dishonored. At the same time Amneris and Ramfis leave the temple and, seeing Radames with their enemy, call the guards. Amonasro and Aida try to convince Radames to escape with them, but he refuses and surrenders to the imperial guards (Radames, Aida, Amonasro, Amneris, Ramfis: Aida! Tu non m'ami! .. Va'!).

Act IV

Scene 1

Giuseppe Di Stefano as Radames.

A hall in the Temple of Justice. To one side is the door leading to Radames' prison cell Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Italian tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano (born 24 July 1921) is a famous opera singer whose career spanned from the late 1940s to the early 1970s. ...

Amneris ( L'aborrita rivale a me sfuggia - "My hated rival has escaped me") desires to save Radames. She calls for the guard to bring him to her.

She asks Radames to deny the accusations, but Radames refuses. Certain that, as punishment, he will be condemned to death, Amneris implores him to defend himself, but Radames firmly refuses. He is relieved to know Aida is still alive and hopes she has reached her own country (Amneris, Radames: Gia i Sacerdoti adunasi). His decision hurts Amneris.

Radames' trial takes place offstage; he does not reply to Ramfis' accusations and is condemned to death, while Amneris, who remains onstage, pleads with the priests to show him mercy. As he is sentenced to be buried alive, Amneris curses the priests while Radames is taken away (Judgment scene, Amneris, Ramfis, and chorus: Ohime! .. morir mi sento - "Heavenly spirit, descend").

Scene 2

The lower portion of the stage shows the vault in the Temple of Vulcan; the upper portion represents the temple itself.

Radames has been taken into the lower floor of the temple and sealed up in a dark vault. Thinking that he is alone and hoping that Aida is in a safer place, he hears a sigh and then sees Aida. She has hidden herself in the vault in order to die with Radames. (Radames and Aida: La fatal pietra sovra me si chiuse.. - "The fatal stone now closes over me.") They accept their terrible fate (Radames: "To die, so pure and lovely") and bid farewell to earth and its sorrows.

Above the vault in the temple of Vulcan, Amneris weeps and prays to the god Isis. In the vault below, Aida dies in Radames' arms. (Chorus, Aida, Radames, Amneris: Immenso Ftha - "Almighty Ptha.")

Footnote: The original draft included a speech by Aida (excised from the final version) that explained her presence beneath the Temple: "My heart knew your sentence. For three days I have waited here." The line most familiar to audiences translates as: "My heart forewarned me of your condemnation. In this tomb that was opened for you I entered secretly. Here, away from human sight, in your arms I wish to die."

Selected recordings

Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company; "ASIN" is amazon.com product reference number. Mario del Monaco (Florence July 27, 1915 - October 16, 1982 in Mestre) was an Italian tenor. ... Maria Callas in a casual moment, 1960s Maria Callas (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας) (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American born, Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... Oliviero De Fabritiis (13 June 1902 - 12 August 1982) was an Italian conductor and composer. ... Palacio de Bellas Artes The Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is the premier opera house of Mexico City. ... EMI Classics is a record label of EMI. It was formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases. ... Mario del Monaco (Florence July 27, 1915 - October 16, 1982 in Mestre) was an Italian tenor. ... Renata Tebaldi (Pesaro, February 1, 1922 – San Marino, December 19, 2004) was an Italian lyric soprano, popular in the post-war period. ... Ebe Stignani (July 10, 1904 - October 5, 1974) was an Italian opera singer, who was pre-eminent in the dramatic mezzo-soprano roles of the Italian repertoire during a stage career of more than thirty years. ... The Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in a musical academy and symphonic organization based in Rome, Italy. ... Richard Tucker (August 28, 1913 – January 8, 1975) was an American tenor. ... Maria Callas in a casual moment, 1960s Maria Callas (Greek: Μαρία Κάλλας) (December 2, 1923 – September 16, 1977) was an American born, Greek dramatic coloratura soprano and perhaps the best-known opera singer of the post-World War II period. ... Fedora Barbieri (born 4 June 1920, Trieste - died 4 March 2003) was an Italian mezzo-soprano opera singer. ... Tullio Serafin (1878 - 1968) was an Italian conductor of opera. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, by night. ... EMI Classics is a record label of EMI. It was formed in 1990 in order to reduce the need to create country-specific packaging and catalogs for internationally distributed classical music releases. ... The Italian singer Carlo Bergonzi (born 13 July 1924) is one of the most admired tenors of the post-war period. ... Renata Tebaldi (Pesaro, February 1, 1922 – San Marino, December 19, 2004) was an Italian lyric soprano, popular in the post-war period. ... The Italian mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato (born 12 May 1910) was one of the great singers of the post-war operatic stage. ... Herbert von Karajan (April 5, 1908 – July 16, 1989) was an Austrian conductor. ... Vienna State Opera (German: Wiener Staatsoper), located in Vienna, Austria, is one of the most important opera companies in Europe. ... The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (in German: Wiener Philharmoniker) an orchestra in Austria, regularly considered as one of the finest in the world. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... Mario del Monaco (Florence July 27, 1915 - October 16, 1982 in Mestre) was an Italian tenor. ... Gabriella Tucci is an Italian operatic soprano active from the 1950s to the 1970s who was well known for spinto repertoire. ... The Italian mezzo-soprano Giulietta Simionato (born 12 May 1910) was one of the great singers of the post-war operatic stage. ... The NHK Symphony Orchestra (NHK交響楽団) in Tokyo, Japan began as the New Symphony Orchestra on October 5, 1926 and was the countrys first professional orchestra. ... Jon S. Vickers, CC , D.Mus. ... Mary Violet Leontyne Price (born February 10, 1927) is an American opera singer (soprano). ... Rita Gorr, real name Rita Geirnaert (Zelzate, February 18, 1926), was a Belgian operatic mezzo-soprano who pursued an international career and continued performing until an advanced age. ... Sir Georg Solti, KBE (pronounced IPA: ) (21 October 1912 – 5 September 1997) was a world-renowned Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor. ... The Teatro dellOpera di Roma (Rome Opera House) is an opera house in Rome, Italy. ... It has been suggested that Decca Music Group be merged into this article or section. ... Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as Plácido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... Martina Arroyo is a great African-American soprano, best known for her performances of the Italian spinto repertoire. ... Fiorenza Cossotto is an Italian mezzo soprano. ... Claudio Abbado (born June 26, 1933) is a noted Italian conductor. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, by night. ... Luciano Pavarotti performing on June 15, 2002 at a concert in the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI[1] (October 12, 1935 – September 6, 2007) was a celebrated Italian tenor in operatic music, who successfully crossed into popular music becoming one of the most... Dame Margaret Price DBE (born April 13, 1941) is a Welsh soprano. ... Stefania Toczyska (née Krzywinska, in Grudziadz, Poland, on February 19, 1943) is a Polish mezzo-soprano of international repute. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... Luciano Pavarotti performing on June 15, 2002 at a concert in the Stade Vélodrome in Marseille Luciano Pavarotti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI[1] (October 12, 1935 – September 6, 2007) was a celebrated Italian tenor in operatic music, who successfully crossed into popular music becoming one of the most... Maria Chiara (born Oderzo, 24 November 1939) is an Italian lyric soprano. ... Ghena Dimitrova - Soprano Ghena Dimitrova (Bulgarian: ) (May 6, 1941 – June 11, 2005) was a Bulgarian operatic soprano. ... Lorin Varencove Maazel (born March 6, 1930) is a conductor, violinist and composer. ... The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, by night. ... Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil KBE (born January 21, 1941)[1] better known as Plácido Domingo, is a world-renowned operatic tenor. ... Aprile Millo, b. ... Dolora Zajick, born 24 March 1952 in Salem, Oregon, is an American mezzo-soprano who specialises in the Verdian repertoire. ... James Levine (born June 23, 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American orchestral pianist and conductor and most well known as the music director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the lead section of this article may need to be expanded. ... Logo Deutsche Grammophon is a German record label. ...

Notes

References

• Simon, Henry W. (1946). A Treasury of Grand Opera. Simon and Schuster, New York, NY. 
• The Victrola Guide to the Opera, 6th edition.

External links

• Opera Guide Synopsis - Libretto - Highlights
• Classics for Kids - The Story of Aida (synopsis with musical examples)
• Opera in a nutshell" Soundfiles (MIDI)
• Complete libretto of the opera or (alternative location)
• Score
• Creative Commons MP3 Recording
• Aria Database list of arias