Aida at the Verona Arena on Rai 5: plot and cast of Verdi’s opera

Sttonight at 21.15 Rai 5 the appointment with airs The great opera at the Verona Arena. An event to pay homage to the 100th anniversary of the most famous opera festival in the world and to one of the most popular operas: Aida by Giuseppe Verdi. In the role of the protagonist, Anna Netrebko. The management is entrusted to Milly Carlucciwith the extraordinary participation of Alberto Angela and Luca Zingaretti.

Before La Scala, the arrival of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni:

Aida at the Verona Arena, with Milly Carlucci, Alberto Angela and Luca Zingaretti

The productive machine to give life to the evening – by Rai Cultura and already broadcast on 16 June on Rai 1 – predicts a huge deployment of forces. 65 people including cameramen, microphone operators and audio and video technicians, at work with 19 cameras, including five special vehicles, namely a spidercam, a lift, two steadicams and a drone. Added to this are the 72 microphones in the orchestra pit, directed by Maestro Marco Armiliato. The direction of the opera is entrusted to Stefano Poda, while the television one is signed by Fabrizio Guttuso Alaimo. The show is broadcast complete with subtitles.

Milly Carlucci, Alberto Angela and Luca Zingaretti introduce the opera before the start and during the interval, through anecdotes and curiosities. To support them in the story, the participation of some guests present in the parterre. Space, moreover, to the history of the theatre, a real temple of music with worldwide fame.

Who is Anna Netrebko

The spotlights are on the Russian Anna Netrebko. Born in 1971, to pay for his singing studies he worked at the Mariinskji Theater in St. Petersburg. His career was started by conductor Valerj Gergievthe first to notice it. At 23 he made his debut with The Marriage of Figaroin which she plays Susannaand toured the United States the following year with Ruslan and Lyudmila. Criticism rewards her and it is the beginning of her ascent.

He sings in the most important theaters in the world, up to the consecration in 2002 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York with War and peace. In 2007 TIME places her in the ranking of the most influential people in the world. She has a son, Tiago, born in 2008 from her relationship with the bass-baritone Erwin Schrott. She later married Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov.

In his repertoire, the works of Giuseppe Verdi occupy an important space. She played Abigaille in Nabuccoguild in RigolettoViolet Valery ne The TraviataDonna Leonora di Vargas in The force of Destiny, Elisabeth of Valois in Don CarloNannetta in Falstaff and Joan of Arc in the homonymous work. Furthermore, in 2021 he inaugurated the Prima della Scala with Macbethin which he played Lady Macbeth.

“Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi at the Verona Arena. (Getty Images)

Aidathe plot of the work

Regarding the work, the plot starts from the war between Egypt and Ethiopia. Aida, the daughter of the Ethiopian king Amonasro, has been kidnapped and is a slave in Egypt, in Memphis. No one knows his true identity and during slavery she falls in love, reciprocated, with the Egyptian Radamès, captain of the guards. However their story has no future not only because of Aida’s condition, but also because Radamès is about to marry Amneris, the pharaoh’s daughter. Furthermore, Aida does not know that her father is organizing an expedition to free her and Radamès will have to stop him.

Amneris, aware of Aida’s feelings, summons her to inform her that Radamès died in battle. For Aida it is a heavy blow and her reaction reveals her love for the commander. Amneris leverages her position to threaten her. In turn, Aida confesses her true origins, but immediately after asking for forgiveness. Meanwhile Radamès returns in the flesh, as a victor. Amonasro, now a slave, also arrives.

Despite the deprivation of liberty, the Ethiopian king does not give up and develops a plan to take revenge for the defeat suffered. Furthermore, she convinces her daughter to get useful information from Radamès about the exact location of the army. Shortly after, Amonasro and Aida run away. AND Radamès lectures himself to the high priest for having betrayed the pharaohalbeit unintentionally.

Amneris does not want to give up Radamès and urges him to ask forgiveness, without success. It is then she who intercedes with the priests, appealing to their clemency. Unfortunately there is nothing to be done. Radamès is sentenced to be buried alive. Aida hides in the crypt to which Radamès is destined and is buried alive with him.

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