Verdi's Aida to debut in Beijing

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, September 23, 2003

Verdi's Aida to debut in Beijing

A massive outdoor production, Aida, Giuseppe Verdi's most popular opera, will be held on September 27, 2003 at the Beijing Workers' Stadium, an 80,000-seat arena that has staged some of the city's biggest performances.

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Since its 1986 debut, the event marks the opera's 10th open-air performance. Directed by Kresimir Dolencic, Aida is considered to be among the world's biggest cultural spectacles.

According to Dolencic, this version will "break the limits of time and space" by incorporating traditional and modern Chinese forms with special stage and lighting effects to relate the ancient Egyptian tale.

About Aida

The opera Aida tells of a romantic but tragic love story set in ancient Egypt. Warrior-hero Rhadames spurns the hand of a princess out of love for Aida, a captive daughter of the Ethiopian king he defeats in battle. Madly in love with Aida, Rhadames allows Aida and his father to escape, which is discovered by the princess of Egypt and revealed to her father. Rhadames is joined by Aida when he is sentenced to be buried alive.

The opera, considered one of the premiere classical operas in the world, was composed by Giuseppe Verdi to debut in Cairo to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal in 1871.

Since 1986, Aida has been staged nine times in open-air performances in Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Egypt and Shanghai, China. The upcoming Beijing performance, as the 10th performance of this kind will undoubtedly be remembered as a landmark international event.

Main Characters:

Ramfis the high priest

Radames a young warrior

Amneris Pharaoh's daughter

Aida the Ethiopian slave

Pharaoh King of Egypt

Amonasro Aida's father, King of Ethiopia

Main Cast:

Kristjan Johannsson Tenor, Italy, as Rhadames

Georgina Von Benza Soprano, Hungary, as Aida

Zlatomira Nilolova Mezzo-Soprano, Russia, as Amneris, the Pharaoh's daughter

Bonaldo Giaiotti Bass, Italy, as Ramfis, the high priest

Valentin Encev Barytone, Bulgaria, as Amonasro, the Ethiopian king

Music: Giuseppe Verdi

Premiere: Opera House, Cairo, December, 24, 1871

Original language: Italian

source: Chinadaily

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