31.05.2019
AIDA
Giuseppe Verdi
Production: Teatro Carlo Felice (Genoa, Italy)

Conductor: Dian Tcobanov (Bulgaria)
Adapted and staged for NOB: Dejan Proshev
Choreographer: Luisa Baldinetti (Italy)
Light designer: Vasko Lisichov
Ass. Choreographer: Sasha Evtimova, Nicola Marrapodi (Italy)
Concert master: Verica Lambevska

CAST:
Aida: Olga Romanko (Russia)
Radames: Gjorgji Cuckovski
Amneris: Irina Dolzhenko (Russia)
Ramfis: Vladimir Sazdovski
Pharaon: Aleksandar Stefanoski
Amonasro: Аngelo Veccia (Italy)
Priestess: Aleksandra Lazarovska Vasilevski
A Messenger: Dejan Stoev

Ballet Solist: Ivana Kocevska
Male ballet ensemble, the choir and the orchestra of NOB

AIDA

Opera in four acts

“Aida” was commission of the Cairo Theater for the inauguration of the Suez Canal. The opera turned to be one of the greatest creations of Verdi`s great mind. Having this “exotic” libretto in his hands Verdi, finally, discovers “his own” themes, feelings and passions: premeditated tragism, terms, situations that have no way out, the love that beats the death. . . The music richness of Aida results from the correlation between several different musical standpoints as well the perfect ratio between them: the expressivepsychological line of the main heroes, the obscure and steady world of the clergymen, the luxurious triumphal marching mass scenes, the exotic world of the Orient with its colors that are naturally blended into the opera dramaturgy and language of music. P. I. Tchaikovsky had written once: “The genius of the old man Verdi in Aida and Othello had opened new frontiers for the Italian musicians…”

Synopsis

Memphis and Thebes, Egypt in ancient times. Aida, Ethiopian slave of the Egyptian princess Amneris, loves Radames – chosen to be the commanding officer in the battle against Ethiopia. Amneris, also in love with Radames, pretending good feelings toward her slave discovers the secret of Aida`s love. Radames has defeated the Ethiopians and triumphantly comes back home. He is rewarded the hand of the princes Amneris. Amonasro, Aida`s father and Ethiopian king, is among the prisoners.

Amonasro, having discovered the love between his daughter and Radames, orders her to ask Radames which route the revolting Ethiopians to ambush them. Amneris reveals the Radames unintended betrayal. Ramfis sentences him to be buried alive in a tomb. Aida manages to sneak inside the tomb in order to be with him to the last.

I ACT

Radames, the captain of the guard, has been selected to lead the Egyptian army in its war against Ethiopia. He is pleased, but dreams of conquering the slave Aida, who is the captured daughter of the Ethiopian King Amonasro and is also secretly in love with Radames. The Egyptian people wish Radames and his army victory. Aida, on the other hand, is torn between her love for Radames and her love for her country.

II ACT

Princess Amneris fears the worst: is Radames in love with the slave Aida? Amneris questions the young woman, tricking her into admitting her love. Aïda loves Radames and dares to confess her feelings to her rival! The two women engage in a powerful duet. Not far away, at the gates of Thebes, the Egyptians return victorious from war. The court and the people celebrate the return of their hero, Radames. And his reward:  the hand of Amneris.

III ACT

In fact, Aida is the daughter of the King of Ethiopia, Amonasro.  When she comes to greet Radames on the banks of the Nile, her father appears. He has managed to remain anonymous among the prisoners. Amonasro begs his daughter to consider the terrible situation facing her people, who are defeated and exhausted. She must put her country first, above her love for Radames! In a duet filled with tenderness and resignation, Aida accepts to question her lover, in hopes of gleaning some information that could help the Ethiopians rise up and attack Egypt.

IV ACT

By speaking to Aida, Radames has betrayed his country. Amneris will do anything to save him, if only he will defend himself. But Radames refuses to save himself and let Aida die. He is sentenced to be buried alive, which he heroically accepts. In the darkness of the vault, while he is waiting to die, Radames discovers Aïda, who has hidden there to die alongside him. They bid farewell to life, in a sombre duet where their voices seem to rise to the heavens.