Search results
CHICAGO (2/8/24) — Torn between love and loyalty, a captive princess must choose between her patriotic duty and her love for an enemy hero in Giuseppe Verdi’s classic Aida, on stage at Lyric Opera of Chicago from March 9 to April 7, 2024.
At the Nile’s edge, the enslaved Nubian princess, Aida becomes romantically entangled with the Egyptian captain, Radames, who is betrothed to the Pharaoh’s daughter, Amneris. As their forbidden love grows deeper, Aida is forced to find balance between her heart’s yearning for Radames, and her responsibility to lead her people.
Aida has been captured by the Egyptians, who do not know her true identity, and is being held as a slave. She and Radamès have secretly fallen in love. The Princess of Egypt, Amneris, is also in love with Radamès. When she learns of Aida and Radamès's relationship, Amneris threatens her, and promises that she will be victorious in this fight.
- Act I
- Act II
- Act III
- Act IV
Scene 1
Ramfis, the chief priest, tells Radames that the god Isis has chosen the general who will lead the Egyptian armies into battle against the invading Ethiopians. Radames hopes that he has been chosen so that he may return victorious to Aida, an enemy slave in the Royal household for whom he cannot openly admit his love. Amneris, Princess of Egypt, secretly loves Radames and questions him about his feelings. She suspects that he prefers Aida to her. The Pharaoh enters with the priests and his co...
Scene 2
Sacred rites are performed in the temple. Ramfis conducts Radames to the altar, where he receives a sword and the gods’ blessing on the campaign.
Scene 1
Amneris prepares for the celebrations to welcome back Radames. Slaves dance for her amusement until she dismisses them at Aida’s approach. Amneris tells Aida that Radames has been killed in battle. Aida’s grief at this news turns to joy when Amneris admits that she lied about Radames’s death in order to trick the slave girl into admitting her love. Amneris has confirmed her suspicion that Aida is her rival. After threatening Aida, Amneris departs for the festivities.
Scene 2
The Egyptians have won the war and a triumphal procession celebrates Radames’ victory. Amneris crowns him victor, and the Pharaoh offers him any reward he may name. Radames asks for the Ethiopian prisoners to be summoned. Aida recognizes among them her father; he is disguised as a captain and warns her not to reveal his true identity. He pleads for his fellow captives’ lives, but Ramfis and the priests demand their death. Radames, however, requests freedom for the Ethiopians as his reward. Th...
On the eve of her marriage, Amneris is taken by Ramfis to pray in the temple of Isis. Radames has chosen a place nearby for a final rendezvous with Aida, who dreams of her homeland while she waits for him. Her thoughts are interrupted by her father, who demands that she discovers the line of attack by which Radames will make the next Egyptian assau...
Scene 1
Amneris realizes that she must try to save Radames from the harsh verdict of the priests. She summons him to her presence and begs him to forget Aida and love her instead; this is the price of her intercession on his behalf with the Pharaoh. When he refuses, she dismisses him. The priests file into the judgement chamber and call out the charges against Radames. Amneris becomes increasingly frantic as she realizes that he will not even attempt to defend himself. The priests condemn him to be e...
Scene 2
Radames has been sealed in a tomb where he is surprised to discover Aida waiting for him. Amneris mourns for Radames as Aida dies in his arms.
Jul 23, 2019 · Unknown to them, Aida and Radamès are in love with each other, while Amneris also loves the captain – who doesn’t love her back. Over the course of the opera, Radamès goes from hero to traitor when he learns Aida’s true-identity. They confess their love and Radamès agrees to marry her.
Emerging from the crowd, a beautiful man and woman approach the chamber as if they had seen it before; the estranged couple are Radames and Aida. As they lock in a gaze, Amneris emerges from a nearby artifact to introduce the legend of their ancient love (“Every Story is a Love Story”).
People also ask
Who is Aida in Verdi's Aida?
When is 'Aida' by Giuseppe Verdi on stage?
How does Aida get entangled with Radames?
What is the story of Aida based on?
Radamès, an Egyptian officer, loves Aida, the Ethiopian slave of the Egyptian princess Amneris. He doesn’t know that Aida, who returns his affections, is the daughter of the Ethiopian king. Amneris also loves Radamès.
