Event

Aida

Recorded Live at Teatro Antico di Taormina

Starring Isabelle Kabatu, Salvatore Licitra, Juan Pons and Rossana Rinaldi

Giuseppe Verdi's legendary opera about the conflict between love and honor in ancient Egypt presented in a stunningly spectacular production

Aida is the granddaddy of grand-opera spectaclecomplete with pyramids and potentates, priestesses and dancing girls, plus armies of soldiers and slaves! At its heart, the opera is a treacherous love triangle and portrait of a relationship that was never meant to be. Aida, the enslaved Ethiopian princess, and Radames, leader of the Egyptian army that conquered her homeland, long to be together forever. But someone else wants Radames, tooit's Amneris, the jealous daughter of the Pharaoh himself! Impassioned arias, surging choruses, and exhilarating orchestral music show us Verdi at the peak of his powersmasterfully balancing pomp and pageantry with a deeply moving personal tragedy. Giuseppe Verdi was commissioned by Ismail Pasha, Khedive of Egypt to write Aida to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Hugely popular, Aida continues to be one of the most famous operas and is one of the great successes of Teatro Antico in Taormina. Directed by Maestro Enrico Castiglione and starring exciting Belgian soprano Isabelle Kabatu, Aida has a terrific cast including Salvatore Licitra, Juan Pons and Rossana Rinaldi. Orchestra National Conservatory of Music is conducted by Fabio Mastrangelo, exquisite new costumes are designed by Sonia Cammarata. The ambiance of Taormina's remarkable ancient Greek Theatre makes Aida a magical experience, situated at the heart of the little southern Italian town, on the top of a hill overlooking the Mediterranean. The beautiful Greek theatre built in the 7th century BC. transforms into Egyptian palm groves on the banks of the Nile and the great pyramid. Precious, beautiful, spectacular! (158 minutes including intermission English Subtitles)