Verdi
Aida
Aida,"Verdi","Verdi’s Aida (1871) is set in ancient Egypt and follows the doomed love between Aida, an enslaved Ethiopian princess, and Radamès, an Egyptian general. Their love is threatened by war, loyalty, and the jealousy of Amneris, the Pharaoh’s daughter. Commissioned for Cairo’s Khedivial Opera House, it premiered to great acclaim and quickly became central to the operatic canon, famous for its grand spectacle and the Triumphal March. Today it remains one of Verdi’s most performed operas worldwide."
First Performance:
Aida,"Verdi","Premiered 24 December 1871 at the Khedivial Opera House, Cairo. Conducted by Bottesini. Immediate triumph, praised for spectacle and scale, quickly entering the international repertoire."
Historical setting:
Aida,"Verdi","Commissioned by Egypt’s Khedive for the new Cairo Opera House, Aida emerged during Europe’s fascination with Egyptology and imperial spectacle. Delayed by the Franco‑Prussian War, it premiered in 1871 amid rising nationalism and Verdi’s growing status as Italy’s cultural voice."