Opera Essentials: Aida
Our quick guide to Verdi’s powerful and seductive opera.
Quick facts
Who Composed Aida?
Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) wrote Aida (1871) for the Cairo Opera House. The premiere was originally intended to coincide with the opening of the theatre, but it was delayed by the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War. When the premiere finally took place, it was a triumph. Verdi, however, had chosen not to travel to Egypt and took more interest in the La Scala 1872 premiere, which was also a great success.
What is the story behind the opera Aida?
Giuseppe Verdi was commissioned to write Aida by Egypt’s ruler, the Khedive Ismael. Alongside the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, the opera, and the construction of the Cairo Opera House where it premiered in 1871, were all part of the Khedive’s drive to modernise the country and attract investment overseas. The scenario was provided by Auguste Mariette, an archaeologist from France who was involved in many important archaeological discoveries of the era. Under Verdi’s intense supervision, Antonio Ghislanzoni (librettist of Verdi’s earlier opera, La forza del destino), crafted the libretto. The opera fulfilled its purpose, and remains a monument to the Khedive’s great ambitions. The first European performance took place the following year, at La Scala, Milan, on February 8, 1872 – the first performance Verdi attended in person. Aida has been performed over 500 times at the Royal Opera House, and remains a firm favourite among audiences, with its love story and powerful score.
How long is Aida?
Our current production lasts approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes, including one interval.
What are the famous songs in Aida?
The first big aria in the opera is ‘Celeste Aida’, Radames’ soaring declaration of forbidden love for his Ethiopian prisoner of war. Other highlights include Aida’s poignant prayer, ‘O patria mia’, in which she grapples with her fears for her country in a time of war. The Triumphal March is a moment of huge ceremony, accompanied by trumpets and rousing percussion. There are also poignant duets between the lovers, and, as is often the case in Verdi’s operas, between a father and his daughter, in the powerful Act III scene between Amonasro and Aida.
Watch a performance
Watch a performance
Aida runs from 28 January – 12 February 2025.
Robert Carsen’s ‘transformative’ (Financial Times) production situates Verdi’s large-scale political drama in a contemporary world, framing power struggles and toxic jealousies in a modern, totalitarian state. Daniel Oren conducts Verdi’s monumental score, with Anna Pirozzi as Aida, Riccardo Massi and Jorge de León as Radames, Raehann Bryce-Davis as Amneris and Amartuvshin Enkhbat as Amonasro.
Gallery
Gallery
What is Aida about?
Who are the main characters?
At its heart, Verdi’s Aida is a tragic love triangle set in a time of conflict. The Egyptian soldier, Radames, has secretly fallen in love with Aida, an Ethiopian prisoner of war. Aida, the Princess of Ethiopia, has kept her royal identity a secret, as well as the fact that she is in love with Radames. Unfortunately for them both, Amneris, the Princess of Egypt, whom Aida now serves, is also in love with him.
A bitter rivalry
When Amneris begins to suspect what is going on between Aida and Radames, she tricks Aida into revealing her true feelings for him by falsely saying he has died in battle. Amneris reveals the truth, and vows to marry Radames. Meanwhile, Aida’s father, King Amonasro of Ethiopia, pressures Aida to exploit her relationship with Radames for military information. Aida refuses to, but Radames, unaware that they are being observed, unwittingly reveals secret details of the army’s plans, and is branded a traitor.
A love that yearns for peace
Amneris’s plan for vengeance backfires when her father, the King of Egypt, condemns Radames to death by entombment. Radames accepts his fate and goes to a sealed underground chamber, preparing to die alone. There he meets Aida, who has stolen inside: she would rather die with him, than live alone. The last words we (and they) hear are ‘Pace, pace’ (‘Peace, peace,’), sung by the devastated Amneris.
Synopsis
Egypt is at war with Ethiopia. Aida, daughter of the Ethiopian King Amonasro, has been captured and made prisoner. She now serves Amneris, the Egyptian King’s daughter, but Aida has concealed her true identity.
ACT I
Ramfis, the High Priest, will soon name the new Commander of the Egyptian army. Radames, an army Captain, prays the choice will fall on him. He is in love with Aida, and hopes that if he leads Egypt to victory, he will not only be able to win Aida’s freedom, but also establish peace between their two countries.
Amneris, the King of Egypt’s daughter, is also in love with Radames. Victory in war would make him an eligible husband, but Amneris fears that her servant Aida might be her rival for Radames’ love. The King summons his soldiers as an army messenger bring news of the recent Ethiopian attacks led by Amonasro. Naming Radames as the new Egyptian Commander, the King, Ramfis and the soldiers cry out for war.
Alone, Aida is torn by her conflicting emotions: Radames will lead the Egyptians to war against her father and homeland, yet she cannot help loving him. She prays to heaven to take pity on her.
Radames is invested as Commander of the Egyptian army, and Ramfis and the Priests join him in praying for victory in the coming war.
ACT II
The Egyptian army has again defeated the Ethiopian forces. Amneris eagerly awaits the return of Radames, while Aida mourns the defeat of her homeland. In order to discover whether Aida really is her rival, Amneris tells her that Radames has been killed in battle. Aida betrays her feelings with a cry of despair. Amneris reveals her deception, and swears to see Aida punished and humiliated.
military parade celebrates the victorious return of Radames and the Egyptian army. The King hails him as the nation’s saviour and swears to grant him any reward. When Radames summons the Ethiopian prisoners, Aida recognises her father, but Amonasro warns her not to betray his identity. Aida’s father tells the King of Egypt that Amonasro has died in battle, and pleads for the prisoners’ lives. The King hesitates as Radames names his reward: freedom for the Ethiopians. Furious, Ramfis demands that Aida and her father be kept as hostages. The King agrees, further decreeing that Radames is to marry Amneris and rule over Egypt after his death.
ACT III
On the eve of her wedding, Amneris spends the night in prayer. Aida, waiting to meet Radames, recalls her lost homeland. Amonasro has discovered his daughter’s secret love and offers her freedom if she tricks Radames into revealing the Egyptian army’s strategic plans. Aida refuses, but relents after her father threatens to disown her. Amonasro hides as Radames arrives.
Radames tells Aida he intends to demand the King to allow him to marry her and make peace between their nations. Aida insists that their only option is to flee from Amneris and from Egypt. Radames finally agrees, describing their route as the same one the Egyptian army will use against the Ethiopians. Amonasro emerges and triumphantly reveals his and Aida’s true identities. Radames is devastated by his inadvertent betrayal of his country. Amonasro urges him to escape with them, but Amneris suddenly appears. She has overheard everything and denounces Radames as a traitor. Amonasro flees with Aida, leaving Radames to surrender to Ramfis, who arrests him for treason.
ACT IV
Awaiting his trial, Amneris implores Radames to deny the charges against him. Radames, believing Aida to have been killed, says he longs for death. Amneris tells him that Amonasro has been killed, but that Aida has escaped. If Radames denies his love for Aida, she will save him. Radames refuses. Amneris, furious, leaves him to be tried and convicted.
In front of the court, Radames refuses to answer Ramfis’ accusations. He is found guilty and sentenced to die by being entombed alive. Amneris, unable to persuade Ramfis to overturn the sentence, desperately curses her jealousy as well as those who sentenced Radames to death.
As Radames is sealed into his tomb, a figure appears in the darkness. It is Aida, who has hidden there to die with him. Alone at last, with the voices of the Egyptians echoing above them, Radames and Aida wait for death to take them to a better world.
The Music of Aida
Structuring a musical monument
The opera is unusual in its construction. Over its four acts, huge choruses and orchestral interludes inviting grand spectacle alternate with intimate scenes between two or three characters. This combination of intimacy and grandeur reflects the story of the piece: the individuals at the heart of the story are crushed by the enormity of the geopolitical events around them.
Highlights
The first big aria in the opera is ‘Celeste Aida’, Radames’ soaring declaration of forbidden love for his Ethiopian prisoner of war. Other highlights include Aida’s poignant prayer, ‘O patria mia’, in which she grapples with her fears for her country in a time of war. The Triumphal March is a moment of huge ceremony, accompanied by trumpets and rousing percussion. There are also poignant duets between the lovers, and, as is often the case in Verdi’s operas, between a father and his daughter, in the powerful Act III scene between Amonasro and Aida.
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