THE GRAN THEATRE DE LICEU: AIDA 2012
 

A night out at the Gran Theatre de Liceu Opera is to experience opera the way the authors and composers intended. In glorious surroundings, just off the famous Las Ramblas, it attracts the creme de la creme of international opera stars; it has a hugely diverse and vast repertory as well as exceptional acoustics.

Aida, Verdi's most popular opera, beautifully illustrates the way he musically communicates his realistic characters' complex emotions. With supreme craftsmanship, Verdi develops a tangled plot where people kill for hate, but also for love.

The opera is set in Memphis and Thebes at the time of the Pharaohs, when Egypt and Ethiopia were constantly at war. Among the captives taken by the Egyptians is Aida, daughter of the Ethiopian king, Amonasro. She is now a slave to the Princess Amneris and no-one knows her real identity. She has won the heart of Radames, a captain in the Egyptian army, who is appointed to supreme command and leads his forces to victory against the Ethiopians.

While he is away, Amneris, also in love with him, discovers her own slave is her rival. During the victory celebrations Aida recognizes her father among the prisoners. He claims to be a common soldier and pleads for clemency. He is held in custody but eludes his guards and surprises Aida, who is about to meet Radames secretly. He persuades her that it is her duty to discover from Radames the route the Egyptian army will take in the next campaign. She does so, and Radames, aghast at what he has done, is captured by Ramfis, the High Priest. He is tried and condemned to death by immurment, in spite of Amneris' attempts to save him. Aida hides in the tomb so that she can die with him.

Dates:

21/07/2012
22/07/2012
24/07/2012
25/07/2012
27/07/2012
28/07/2012
30/07/2012

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