Aida - Giuseppe Verdi

State Opera Prague

Premiere: Januar 14, 1988

Staging team Conductor: R. Hein, J. Mikula
Stage director: P. Selem
Set designer: H. A. Farghali
Costume designer: J. Jelínek
Choreography: O. Šanda
Assistant director: L. Cukr, P. Jirsa
Cast

King:M. Bürger, L. Hynek-Krämer, O. Korotkov
Amneris, his daughter:: G. Ibragimova, V. Hajnová Fialová, D. Diaková
Aida, Ethiopian slave:A.-L. Bogza, J. Svobodová, M. Hundeling, A. Rowe, I. Matyášová, J. Derilova
Ramfis, Supreme Pontiff:M. Horák, O. Korotkov, L. Mlejnek
Radames, chieftain:N. Višnjakov, I. Jan, M. Lehotský, E. Kişlali, M. Zhang
Amonasro, Ethiopian king, father to Aida:M. Cavalcanti, M. Bárta, J. Kettner
Courier: L. Havlák, J. Hruška
Priestess:D. Vaňkátová, H. Jonášová, J. Sibera

The work was made to order (commissioned by the Egyptian viceroy and opera lover Ismail Pasha) for the ceremonial opening of the Suez Canal (November 17, 1869), although Verdi only started writing it after its opening.

Verdi endowed the story of the Ethiopian princess Aida, imprisoned as a slave at the court of Egyptian pharaohs and living out her tragic amorous relationship to an Egyptian chieftain, with fervent music. He created a musical drama full of fairy-tale fantasy yet at the same time realistically convincing. Aida became one of the most renowned opera works ever.

Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes with 1 intermission
Performed in Italian with Czech and English captions

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