A Night of Egyptian Stars
Rodolfo Morales
The ancient Egyptians were famous for their many gods that they so faithfully worshipped. These gods were usually portrayed as wrathful beings, ready to deliver punishment at any moment. However, even the gods would have been happy with the performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera “Aida” by the Metropolitan Opera on November 5th. The performance of divine proportions starred Angela Brown as Aida, Franco Farina as Radames, and Lunciana D’Intino as Amneris.
The story of Aida takes place in ancient Egypt during a period of war with Ethiopia, and revolves around a love triangle made up of Aida, Radames, and Amneris. Aida, an Ethiopian princess who is enslaved in Egypt and is a servant to Amneris, the Pharaoh’s daughter, is in love with Radames, the leader of Egypt’s army. Radames is also smitten with the girl he believes is merely a slave. However, what Aida does not know is that Amneris is also in love with Radames. This whole mixture makes for a story with a tragic ending where none of these characters end up with the person that they desire. This is the case unless dying together and spending the rest of eternity joined in the afterlife is considered a happy ending, as Aida and Radames consider it.
Angela Brown was perfect as Aida, with her soprano voice able to reach all the high notes demanded by the role, and she added a sweet sense of confusion and sincerity to the part. The audience could truly perceive her distress in trying to decide whether or not to aid her father and country in taking down Egypt or if she should betray them for the one man she truly loves, Radames. Lunciana D’Intino was also excellent as Amneris, with a much deeper tone than Brown, but still adding a depth to her character. Her inner conflict of looking at Radames as a traitor and loving him is noticeable, especially in the final scene. Franco Farina truly was a spectacular Radames, and his rendition of “Celeste Aida” was moving throughout. He managed perfectly the balance of being a soldier and a lover.
One of the most dazzling aspects of Aida would have to be the stage sets. “Aida” is an opera that calls for large, grandiose sets, and the Met delivered. The detail of each set was truly awe-inspiring, and the viewers really felt as if they were viewing ancient Egypt. One scene that stood out more than the rest was the victory march. Throughout this scene, a huge procession paraded across the stage, carrying elephant tusks, treasures, prisoners, dead bodies, and even horse-drawn chariots. Viewers could only be amazed by such a spectacle being seen on a New York City stage. In essence, “Aida” is an opera that can and should be enjoyed by all, and it is not only sweet for the ears, but also for the eyes.