About this episode
Aida premiered in Cairo in December 1871. Giuseppe Verdi’s four-act opera, Aida, was commissioned for the newly constructed opera house in Cairo, following the celebrations for the opening of the Suez Canal. Taking inspiration from a third century story discovered by Egyptologist Auguste Marietta, librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni worked with Verdi to create a drama which is both grand and intimate, set in Egypt, “in the time of the Pharaohs.” The opera’s magnificent music depicts spectacle and triumph for the state, and praise for the gods. It also brings us close to all of the emotions of three people caught up in a high-stakes love triangle. Join us for a story of achingly beautiful tenderness, soaring triumph, and devoted resignation on this episode of Opera for Everyone. Hosted by Pat Wright and Keely Herron.