Foto: Panor / Courtesy of Fondazione Arena di Verona Aida at Arena di Verona Opera Festival 2025
Verona, Arena di Verona
About the Event
Relish the spectacle as the new production (2023) of Verdi's 'Aida' takes the stage at the Arena di Verona.
Ancient Egypt is provided with a contemporaneous backdrop by the Roman‐era arena, as Verdi's immense score, both lyrical and dramatic, plays out to its tragic end.
'Aida' is an opera in four acts composed by Giuseppe Verdi, on a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni.
Act 1
Ramfis, High Priest of Egypt, tells Radamès that war with the Ethiopians seems inevitable. Radamès hopes that he will be chosen as the Egyptian commander, dreaming both of victory and of Aida, the Ethiopian slave, with whom he is secretly in love. Aida, who returns Radamès love, is the daughter of the Ethiopian King Amonasro, an identity hidden from her Egyptian captors.
Amneris, the daughter of Pharaoh, enters. She also loves Radamès, but fears that Aida may be her rival. Pharaoh enters, with the High Priest, and the whole court, to news that the Ethiopians are marching on Thebes. The King declares war and proclaims Radamès leader of the army.
Left alone, Aida is torn between her love for her father, her country, and Radamès.
Radamès is installed as commander‐in‐chief. The Egyptians pray for victory and protection for their warriors.
Act 2
Radamès' victory is celebrated, but Amneris doubts Radamès' love and suspects Aida is in love with him. When Aida enters the chamber, Amneris lies, telling her that Radamès has died in the battle. Shocked and grieving, Aida confesses her love for Radamès. Amneris is enraged and swears vengeance on Aida.
Radamès returns and the troops march into the city in triumph. Pharaoh declares that Radamès may have anything he wishes. The Ethiopian captives are led onstage in chains, King Amonasro among them. Amonasro proclaims to the Egyptians that the Ethiopian king has been slain in battle, and the captives plead with the Egyptian King for mercy, but Ramfis and the Egyptian priests call for the prisoners’ death. Claiming the King’s promised reward, Radamès pleads for mercy for the prisoners. The King grants Radamès' wish, declaring that Radamès will be the King's successor and will marry Amneris. Aida and Amonasro will remain hostage to ensure that the Ethiopians do not avenge their defeat.
Act 3
On the eve of Amneris and Radamès' wedding, Aida waits outside the Temple of Isis to meet Radamès. Amonasro appears and orders Aida to discover the location of the Egyptian army. Aida reluctantly agrees.
Amonasro hides behind a rock and listens to Aida and Radamès. Radamès swears that he will marry Aida and Aida convinces him to flee with her. Radamès suggests a safe route, revealing the location of his army. Amonasro comes out of hiding and reveals his identity. Radamès realizes he has unwittingly revealed a crucial military secret to the enemy.
Amneris and Ramfis leave the temple and call for the imperial guards. Amonasro draws a dagger, but Radamès disarms him. Ordering Amonasro to flee with Aida, Radamès surrenders himself to the imperial guards, who arrest him as a traitor.
Act 4
Amneris calls for the guard to bring Radamés to her, and asks him to deny the accusations, but he refuses. Ramfis recites the charges, Radamès refuses to defend himself, and is condemned to death. Amneris protests that Radamès is innocent, and pleads for mercy, but he is sentenced to be buried alive.
Radamès has been sealed in a dark vault. He hears a sound and then sees Aida, who has hidden herself in the vault in order to die with Radamès. They accept their terrible fate and bid farewell to Earth and its sorrows. Above the vault, Amneris weeps and prays to the goddess Isis. The lovers die in each other’s arms as the priests, offstage, pray to the god Ftha.
Practical Information
Included are:
- Ticket to the opera performance in the chosen category
- One month's free access to a premium classical music streaming service
- self‐guided audio tour of Verona in English
Program
- Giuseppe Verdi – Aida
Cast / Production
Direction, set design, Costumes, Lighting design, Choreography: Stefano Poda
Assistant director, sets, costumes, lighting, choreography: Paolo Giani Cei
Orchestra, Choir, Dance and Technicians: Fondazione Arena di Verona
Conductor:
Daniel Oren 20/06 29/06 13/07 16/07 20/07 27/07 01/08 24/08 28/08 04/09
Francesco Ommassini 06/07
Aida:
Maria José Siri 20/06 29/06 06/07 01/08 04/09
Olga Maslova 13/07 16/07 20/07
Aleksandra Kurzak 27/07
Marina Rebeka 24/08 28/08
Amneris:
Clémentine Margaine 20/06 29/06 28/08 04/09
Agnieszka Rehlis 06/07 13/07 16/07 20/07 24/08
Ekaterina Semenchuk 27/07 01/08
Radamè:
Luciano Ganci 20/06 29/06
Gregory Kunde 06/07
Brian Jagde 13/07 16/07
Roberto Alagna 27/07
Yusif Eyvazov 01/08 24/08 28/08 04/09
The King:
Simon Lim 20/06 29/06 01/08
Ramaz Chikviladze 06/07 13/07 16/07 20/07 27/07 24/08 28/08
Giorgi Manoshvili 04/09
Ramfis:
Alexander Vinogradov 20/06 29/06 06/07 13/07 16/07 20/07
Simon Lim 27/07 24/08 28/08 04/09
Christian Van Horn 01/08
Amonasro:
Igor Golovatenko 20/06 29/06 27/07 28/08
Amartuvshin Enkhbat 06/07 13/07 16/07 20/07
Ludovic Tézier 01/08
Youngjun Park 24/08 04/09
A messenger:
Carlo Bosi 20/06 29/06 06/07 13/07 16/07 20/07 27/07
Riccardo Rados 01/08 24/08 28/08 04/09
High Priestess:
Francesca Maionchi 20/06 29/06 06/07 13/07 16/07 20/07 27/07 01/08 24/08 28/08 04/09
Arena di Verona
The Arena di Verona is the third largest Roman amphitheatre still standing. Built around 30 AD, the Arena is also among the best-preserved amphitheatres of the period. Its gigantic dimensions (140 meters long and 100 meters wide), and seating for over 30,000 spectators, ensure it dominates the northern part of Piazza Bra. Excellent acoustics and a fabulous location make it an ideal venue for large-scale opera performances. The monument was re-established as a theatre during the Renaissance, and in 1913 the tradition of opera at the Arena di Verona began with a production of Giuseppe Verdi's 'Aida'.
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi was an Italian opera composer. From a young age, he developed a musical education with the help of a patron and soon dominated the Italian opera. In fact by his 30s, he became one of the most influential opera composer all over the classical scene. His most famous operas are Il Trovatore, Rigoletto and La Traviata. Furthermore, he was able to establish himself as a landowner with the income from his successful operas and focus on his private life. However, he soon returned to the scene with his new popular work Aida (1871), and three masterpieces: Otello, Requiem and Falstaff.
Customer Reviews
5.0 of 5
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Urs A. F, Schweiz
Jul 2024
Ausgezeichnete Performance leider waren die Namen der Sänger nicht genannt.
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Fernanda P, Brazil
Jul 2024
I was really surprised with all the cenography and special effects this production brought to a classical, upgrading opera to another level. Althought the acoustics of the arena was defying to the singers and orchestra, the visual effects, coreography of the choir surprised me act by act, kepting me breathless. Congratulations on the beautiful performance!
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Tomasz Stanislaw S, Poland
Jul 2024
Great concert, great service
Address
Arena di Verona, Piazza Bra 28, Verona, Italy — Google Maps
