VERDI'S OPULENT EGYPTIAN MASTERPIECE
Utah Opera present Verdi's ancient Egyptian drama, starring Jennifer Check in the title role of the enslaved Ethiopian princess caught in between the love for the heroic Radames and loyalty to her father. Marc Heller plays the role of Radames, with the proud Egyptian princess Amneris sung by Katharine Goeldner. Grand and glorious, Aida is the jewel in Verdi's crown continuing to be one of the repertoires most sought out Operas.
WHAT IS AIDA ABOUT?
A beautiful Ethiopian princess currently lives in the ancient city of Thebes as a slave to the Pharoah's daughter Amneris, who is also her rival for the affections of Radames, the head of the guards. Nobody knows Aida's true identity, which has kept her safe up to now, whilst back in Ethiopia, her father makes battle plans to take her back.
Amneris, suspecting Aida's feelings for Radames, draws in the naive girl with false friendliness in order to find out her secret, after all, how could a man choose a slave over a princess?
After Radames leads the Egyptians in defending their land, he succeeds in capturing the disguised Ethiopian king, as well as thousands of others. Aida recognises her father, but their identities are still unknown to the Pharoah. But even though freedom is near, she is still torn between the love of Radames and her father, and is now at the mercy of Amneris, who's determined to win Radames, even if it means the cost of Aida's life, but ends up paying a far heavier price than she ever thought possible.
