AIDA

2022 / 2023                 Main Hall                   the 10th Season

5 July * Wednesday * 7.00 pm

6 July * Thursday * 6.00 pm

 

AS PART OF THE INTERNATIONAL OPERA AND BALLET FESTIVAL "OPERALIA"

 

Giuseppe Verdi

“AIDA”

Opera in 4 acts

Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni

 

Performed in Italian

(accompanied by synchronized subtitles in Kazakh and Russian)

 

Running time: 3 hours 30 minutes (including two intervals)

Please note that the age limit is 10+.

Management reserves the right to substitute performers and works performed

 

G. Verdi’s opera “Aida” staged by the outstanding director and set designer of our times Franco Zeffirelli (La Scala, Italy) will be performed at the State Opera and Ballet Theatre “Astana Opera”.

 

Stage Director, Set Designer: Franco ZEFFIRELLI

Conductor: Dian TCHOBANOV (Bulgaria)

Costume Designer: Maurizio MILLENOTTI

Assistant Director: Yerenbak TOIKENOV

Choirmaster: Yerzhan DAUTOV, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan

Choreographer: Galiya BURIBAYEVA, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan

Project Technical Director: Viсtor CARARE

 

GUEST SOLOISTS:

5 July

Radamès: Diego CAVAZZIN (Italy)

Amonasro: Badral CHULUUNBAATAR (Mongolia)

 

6 July

Amneris: Isabel de PAOLI (Italy)

 

In 1868, on the occasion of inauguration of the Suez Canal, the Egyptian government commissioned Verdi to write an opera based on a plot from the history of Egypt. It was planned to premiere the opera during the inauguration of the opera house in Cairo, but the composer refused. However, in 1870, he agreed and got acquainted with the scenario by the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette, who used a legend about the struggle of ancient pharaohs against (Nubia) Ethiopia written on papyrus and decrypted by him. The scenery and costumes were created according to the drawings of Mariette. French author C. du Locle (1832-1903) wrote the prose text of the opera, and A. Ghislanzoni (1824-1893) created the poetic text. Verdi actively participated in the creation of the story, studying thoroughly the history and art of ancient Egypt.

“Aida” was first performed on 24 December 1871 in Cairo, and in Milan the following year. Both performances were a triumphal success.

The personal drama of the protagonists full of acute conflicts is unfolding against a background of monumental crowd scenes, triumphant marches and anthems. The obscurantism of the churchmen was embodied in the images of cruel priests, opposed by inner beauty and moral principles of Aida and Radamès: their love came through all the ordeals, even in the face of death. The opera sounds like a hymn to noble feelings.

 

ROLES AND PERFORMERS

Aida –  Zhupar GABDULLINA, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan /

                            Aigul NIYAZOVA, Honoured Worker of Kazakhstan (Debut)

Radamès –  Diego CAVAZZIN (Italy) / Sayan ISIN

Amneris –  Gulzhanat SAPAKOVA / Isabel de PAOLI (Italy)

Amonasro – Badral CHULUUNBAATAR (Mongolia) / Talgat GALEYEV (Debut)

The King of Egypt – Valeriy SELIVANOV (Debut)

Ramfis – Bolat YESSIMKHANOV / Shyngys RASYLKHAN

A messenger – Ramzat BALAKISHIYEV

Priestess – Galina CHEPLAKOVA (Debut) / Yelena GANZHA

 

OPERA SOLOISTS, SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, BALLET AND EXTRAS OF THE ASTANA OPERA HOUSE

 

Tickets purchased at the Astana Opera are exchangeable and refundable only in cases of cancelled or postponed performances. In all other cases, no refunds and exchanges are possible.