Awakenings

Opera- an art form cherished by some, dreaded by others, but all too often underappreciated by both. While it may be difficult to transmute into the entertainment-saturated world of the 20th century, the New York Metropolitan Opera Company’s production of Aida proved to be an appropriate introduction for a first-timer to this unique art form. Set, costume, and lighting all combined for excitement and spectacle while sheer talent made it a show worth watching.

Angela Brown, who played the title role Aida, carried the performance with her charisma and amazing vocal ability. But for the audience member for whom Hollywood has made it a bit difficult to sit through three hours of singing (albeit amazing singing), this production of Aida provides many additional points of interest.

There were several times throughout the performance where a gasp could be heard throughout the audience. Perhaps most often, this gasp was initiated by the enormity of the set, which consisted of massive reproductions of ancient Egyptian temple walls. During the scene in which the Egyptian army returns home from battle, the walls towered over the audience, and were staged in a way that created an intensely realistic feel of an open courtyard. Supplemented by exquisite lighting, which mimicked natural sunlight almost exactly; this set amazed the audience with its elaborateness and accuracy.
While some aspects of the show were lacking, such as the dancers and their choreography, the Met’s production of Aida was enthralling in it’s lavishness and grandiosity, as well as the vocal talent of it’s singers. In a word, it was “big”: big set, big surprises, big voices. From the first timer to the opera aficionado, Aida proved to be a wonderful cultural experience.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 at 11:37 am and is filed under