Aida

Giuseppe Verdi

31 July & 3, 5, 7 August

Festival Theatre

The beautiful Ethiopian princess Aida, captured and enslaved in Egypt, is torn between her love for her homeland and the man who loves her, Radames. He is appointed commander of the Egyptian army with orders to fight the Ethiopian invasion, but also struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. The daughter of the King senses the feelings between Radames and Aida which angers her as she too is in love with him. Radames returns victorious with many Ethiopian prisoners including Aida's father Amonasro. Reunited with his daughter, Amonasro persuades Aida to discover the Egyptian battle plan from Radames. In doing so he is overheard by the jealous Amneris, arrested and condemned to be buried alive. Somehow Aida succeeds in joining her beloved in his subterranean cell where the two find love forever in death.

Verdi's magnificent opera uses these dramatic events and emotions to create one of his greatest masterpieces, with a sensational score packed with many of his most famous arias, ensembles and choruses.

Graeme Murphy's brilliant new production created in 2008 for the Opera Conference comes to Adelaide for the first time with a stellar cast conducted by Graham Abbott.

Conductor: Graham Abbott
Director: Graeme Murphy
Set Designer: Roger Kirk, concept by Graeme Murphy
Costume Designer: Roger Kirk
Lighting Designer: Damien Cooper
Projection Designer: The Brothers Gruchy
Visual Designer: Michael Gruchy

Aida: Kate Ladner
Radames: Rosario la Spina
Amneris: Elizabeth Campbell
Amonasro: Douglas McNicol
Ramphis: David Hibbard
King: David Parkin
High Priestess: Lecia Robertson
Messenger: Adam Goodburn

Adelaide Symphony Orchestra

State Opera Chorus

Sung in Italian with English Surtitles

Running Time: 3 Hours including two intervals
An Opera Conference productio