Washington National Opera Look-In: Aida

CUESHEET PERFORMANCE GUIDE

Aida

Opera Look-In featuring scenes from Giuseppe Verdi’s

Major support for WNO is provided

by Jacqueline Badger Mars.

With members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program and the WNO Orchestra Conducted by Evan Rogister Production directed by Francesca Zambello

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO.

Pharaohs, Princesses, and Pyramids Travel back in time to ancient Egypt and enter into the world of Aida, (pronounced eye-EE-dah), an Ethiopian princess enslaved by the powerful Egyptian king known as the pharaoh (FAIR-oh). Forced to watch as war rages on between Egypt and her Ethiopian people, Aida lives in a state of constant sorrow…until she falls in love. Can the unlucky princess somehow create her own happy ending?

The Story Behind Aida Written by Italian master Giuseppe Verdi, Aida premiered in 1871 in (perhaps not surprisingly) Cairo, Egypt, as part of a celebration for the city’s new opera house. Verdi, who by this time had been a famous composer for nearly 30 years, filled Aida with his trademark mix of big ensembles and smaller, more emotional scenes. The opera was a near instant hit.

A Passion for Egypt The story idea for Aida came from a made-up scenario imagined by a French archeologist who was fascinated by early Egyptian culture.

(Really!) This archeologist was just one of many Europeans who, throughout the 19th century, became somewhat obsessed with “Egyptology,” the study of the great Nile civilization and its many fearsome pharaohs.

When Aida’s tale landed on composer Giuseppe Verdi’s desk in 1870, an Egyptianthemed romance would have seemed like nothing new.

ALL PRODUCTION PHOTOS BY SCOTT SUCHMAN

What was new, however, was the way in which Verdi set about composing his latest work.

Unlike earlier Italian operas, Aida has very few musical moments that stop the action.

Instead, each chorus, duet, or solo aria (AR-eeyah) flows into the next, so the drama keeps pushing forward to its exciting conclusion.

“A” is for Aida In the world of opera, Aida is so admired and so beloved it’s known as the “A” of the opera alphabet (…“B” is for La Bohème, “C” is for Carmen, and so on). What goes in to creating a musical masterpiece that’s at the top of everyone’s list? Read on to find out.

Wait…What Is an Opera Anyway?

An “opera” is a story told through music. Instead of speaking, the characters sing through their thoughts and emotions. Sometimes the characters sing by themselves and sometimes they sing in groups of two or more.

There’s also an orchestra that plays with the singers using different combinations of instruments at different times.

Things to listen for: n

how the musicians help set a mood by playing or singing extra fast, extra slow, extra loud, or extra soft

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how the duets, (songs with two singers), feature instruments that support the singers but that sometimes play their own special melodies underneath

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how a musical scene can be full of feeling or emotion even if many voices are singing over one another or the words are a little difficult to hear

What’s the Story?

Though today’s staging has been updated to the present day, the story of Aida is originally set in ancient Egypt during the time when pharaohs ruled the land. The opera

tells the tale of Aida, a beautiful Ethiopian princess, who’s been captured by the Egyptians and is now forced to hide her true identity and serve as a slave under the fiery Egyptian princess, Amneris (ahm-NEHR-ess).

As if this weren’t complicated enough, Aida has also fallen in love with the Egyptian army leader, Radamès (rah-dah-MESS)—the archenemy of her native Ethiopia.

When war breaks out between the Egyptian pharaoh and Aida’s father, King Amonasro (ah-moh-NAZ-roh), Aida finds herself hopelessly torn between family honor and forbidden love.

Meet the Cast Operatic music calls for many different kinds of singing, from the very high to the very low. Singers tend to fall into separate categories based roughly on how high or low they can sing. Aida has several main characters that showcase a few of these different types of voices. Below are some of the leading roles: Aida, an Ethiopian princess (soprano—the highest female voice) Radamès, an Egyptian army commander (tenor—the highest male voice) The Pharaoh of Egypt, (bass—the lowest male voice) Amneris, the pharaoh’s daughter (mezzo-soprano—a middle-range female voice) Amonasro, the Ethiopian king and Aida’s father (baritone—a middle-range male voice) Ramfis, an Egyptian priest (bass)

On Stage and Behind the Curtain It takes a lot of work and a lot of people to create an opera—both on stage and off. As you watch today’s performance, keep some of these key players and important aspects of the show in mind.

In the Spotlight Singers

The ladies and gentlemen that are the stars of the production. Their voices are responsible for telling the story and expressing the emotions of the characters.

Today these performers will be singing in Italian—even though their story takes place in Egypt.

Sets and Props

Things that give the opera a sense of place, including the backdrops decorated with the visual artist RETNA’s hieroglyphic letters, the banners carried by the Egyptian army, and the confetti that falls from the “fly space” (the storage area above the stage opening) during the famous triumphal march. It was RETNA’s colorful mix of graffiti and fine art that provided the inspiration for this production of Aida. Learn more about RETNA and his work on page 6 of this Cuesheet.

Costumes

Anything the characters wear, including the Egyptian and Ethiopian army uniforms and boots, Amneris’s jewelry and princess robes, and Aida’s brightly colored clothes.

Lights

Special lights that are set up all around the theater and in the fly space above. These help you see the action on stage and give you hints about the story, such as the time of day.

Behind the Scenes Orchestra Players

Located in the dark pit at the foot of the stage. Their instruments keep the opera on its musical feet and provide the singers with much-needed assistance.

Listen up for the trumpets today, as they make a special appearance.

The Conductor

In charge of all things musical. They keep the instruments and singers in time by maintaining a strong beat (especially during marches!) and also by giving clues as to how the music should sound (i.e., loud, soft, or furious). Keep a close eye on the conductor during the performance.

The Stage Manager

Using special headsets, the stage manager oversees all technical (electronic or mechanical) elements from lighting and sound systems, to moving set pieces.

They’re also in charge of singers’ entrances and exits.

The Designers

The individuals who design the sets, costumes, props, and furniture. They usually make sketches of their creations and collaborate with the production staff to come up with their final designs.

The Artistic Director

The person who chooses which operas a company will perform, which singers will star in them, and which designers will take part in each show.

As you can see, there are many roles to play on and off stage in the performing arts. Think about what role you would like to play?

For Teachers Dear Teachers: Here are some thoughts and activities to share with students before the curtain rises and a little bit of homework fun for when it comes down.

Before the Look-In Pre-Opera Prep

Ask students what they think the experience of opera might be like. What sights and sounds do they expect?

Be sure to point out that operas are similar to movies; they have something for everyone (comedy, action, thrills, etc.).

Playlist Shuffle

Have students consider what type of music they enjoy.

Do any of their favorite songs tell a story? Are the songs about love, broken hearts, or mistaken identity— similar to what they will hear in Aida? Ask them to think about how these ideas can apply to an opera.

Fun with Instruments

Today, students will hear a full-sized orchestra. Can students list the four orchestra families? (Hint: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion.) Ask students what instruments they can identify by ear. Have them listen for these unique sounds during the show.

After the Look-In Cross-Culture Connections

Composer Giuseppe Verdi purposely used specific instrumental sounds that reminded him of Egyptian culture when creating Aida. Have young listeners think of a song that reminds them of another culture and ask them to play the song to their friends, family, or classmates. Ask students to explain why this particular music makes them think of a different way of life and then have them research the culture they’ve selected to find out what its traditional music actually sounds like.

Does the chosen song match the real musical sounds?

In what ways are they similar or different?

Hieroglyphic Handwriting

Students will notice the walls in this production of Aida are covered in a beautiful type of writing that resembles the picture-based hieroglyphics of early Egypt. Have them try to construct their own artistic alphabet using original letters or emoji-style images. Next, have them write their names using these unique hieroglyphics and then swap examples of these new “glyphs” with friends and family.

Ask students to teach one another how to write in their respective alphabets and spread the fun by saving the finished products to a classroom or family scrapbook.

Calling All Teachers!

Want to help your student find useful information on the performing arts? Check out 2700fstreet.tumblr.com—the Kennedy Center website for teens.

A Few Things to Know Before Leaving the Banks of the Nile About our featured (visual) artist…

About the composer…

WNO’s Aida set design features artwork by Marquis Duriel Lewis, known to the world as RETNA. Raised in Los Angeles, RETNA took his first steps toward becoming an artist at around age eight when he combined his interest in graffiti and his classroom penmanship exercises to make his own unique designs. Inspired by historical lettering from Old English, Egyptian hieroglyphics, and ancient scribes, RETNA soon developed his own artistic language using symbols and letters from his imagination. Today, RETNA’s work can be seen everywhere from building murals, to art galleries, to the operatic stage.

Born near Busseto, Italy, Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901) was a giant in the field of opera, composing more than two dozen works over a period of several decades. His political affiliations and love for his country made his music symbolic of the movement for Italian freedom in the mid-1800s and, as a result, Verdi was considered both a national treasure and a revolutionary icon. His many operas—including La Traviata, Il Trovatore, and Rigoletto—are among the most performed in the world.

Be sure to check out the RETNA exhibit in the Hall of Nations!

Fun fact: Giuseppe Verdi had a new type of trumpet made for the premiere of Aida in order to help recreate the sounds of an ancient Egyptian civilization.

Explore More!

Want to know more about opera? Go to ARTSEDGE at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/features

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Deborah F. Rutter President

Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President Education

Francesca Zambello Washington National Opera Artistic Director

WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.

Washington National Opera Council, and The Women’s Committee of Washington National Opera.

WNO’s Presenting Sponsor

This performance is made possible by the Kimsey Endowment; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Generous support for WNO Italian Opera is provided

by Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided

by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Support for Opera Look-In is provided by the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is made possible through the generous support of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, with additional funding provided by Judy and Billy Cox, Robert and Lynn Downing, Virginia McGehee Friend, Nicole Alfandre Halbreiner, Susan Carmel Lehrman, John & Mary Lee Malcolm, Michael F. and Noémi K. Neidorff and The Centene Charitable Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey P. Pohanka, Mr. Alan J. Savada and Mr. Will Stevenson, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Schuiling, Jr., Dr. and Mrs. Guillermo Schultz,

The content of this Cuesheet may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

©2017 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts