OperaDB

Aida

opera · opera in quattro atti

Composer Giuseppe Verdi

Librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni

Co-librettist Auguste Mariette, Camille du Locle, Giuseppe Verdi

Synopsis

Aida, an Ethiopian slave at the Egyptian court, is secretly the captured daughter of the Ethiopian king Amonasro. She loves Radamès, a young warrior who loves her in return and hopes to command Egypt's army against the Ethiopians. The King's daughter Amneris also loves Radamès, and suspects that Aida is her rival.

Key facts

Premiere
24 December 1871, Khedivial Opera House, Cairo
Acts
4
Language
Italian (it)
Setting
Memphis and Thebes, at the height of the Pharaohs' power.

Notes

First given at the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo, conducted by Giovanni Bottesini, before an audience of invited dignitaries, politicians and critics. Verdi did not attend, and regarded the performance at La Scala on 8 February 1872, which he oversaw, as the real premiere. For Milan he wrote an overture to replace the short prelude, and withdrew it before the performance.

Dramatis personae

Role Voice Created by
Il Re The King of Egypt, Amneris's father. bass Tommaso Costa
Amneris The King's daughter. mezzo-soprano Eleonora Grossi
Aida An Ethiopian slave, the daughter of Amonasro. soprano Antonietta Pozzoni
Radamès Captain of the guards. tenor Pietro Mongini
Ramfis The chief of the priests. bass Paolo Medini
Amonasro King of Ethiopia, and Aida's father. baritone Francesco Steller
Un messaggiero A messenger. tenor Luigi Stecchi-Bottardi
Grande Sacerdotessa The high priestess, heard from within the temple. soprano Marietta Allievi

Source

Original libretto.

Written from