CHICAGO ARTS & CULTURE vol. 100-AIDA (Spring 2024)

AIDA RETURNS TO LYRIC OPERA WITH BOLD CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION

By Zada Johnson, Ph D

Returning to the stage for the first time in more than a decade, Lyric Opera’s Aida offers a fresh take on Verdi’s seminal classic tale of love and war in Ancient Egypt The opera chronicles the tragic circumstances of titular character Aida, an Ethiopian princess held captive in Egypt as a prisoner of war. She has managed to conceal her true identity of Ethiopian royalty and dutifully serves the Egyptian princess, Amneris However, her troubles are compounded by the romantic triangle she is involved in with Amneris and Egyptian soldier Radames As Egypt plans another campaign against Ethiopia, Aida is conflicted with her love for the enemy of her people

Though she generally treats Aida well, Amneris is suspicious of Radames’ feelings toward Aida and threatens vengeance if she finds out they are lovers Meanwhile, Radames dreams of being the next leader of the Egyptian army and plans to choose Aida as his bride He succeeds at being promoted to commander but his plans to be with Aida are thwarted when the king of Egypt gives him Amneris’ hand in marriage after his triumphant return from battle The drama escalates when it is revealed that the prisoners of war from Radames’ campaign include Aida’s father, Amonasro, who is concealing his identity as King of Ethiopia and plotting an uprising with his fellow captives In the midst of the layered conflicts brewing among Radames, Amneris and Amonasro, Aida must choose between her forbidden love and loyalty to her homeland

The most striking aspect of Lyric’s production of Aida is its departure from the traditional Ancient Egyptian iconography and costume design that normally anchors the opera in the ancient past Instead, this production presents a more modern 20th century setting that straddles between a mythic past and a familiar present. In her program note, director Francesca Zambello explains that she chose this departure from the opera’s traditional setting in order to draw more attention to the way Aida’s storyline mirrors our contemporary experiences with global conflict and devastation

To achieve this, Zambello commissioned the design of African-American contemporary artist Marquis Lewis, also known as RETNA, who is acclaimed for his textbased graphic imagery inspired by Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Arabic script and graffiti Lewis’ backdrops and stage pieces for the production are stunning, providing an otherworldly sensibility while still offering the recognizable imagery of Ancient Egyptian ankhs and Arabic-inspired calligraphy to frame the opera’s blurred past/present-day setting Zambello’s departure from the traditional Ancient Egyptian imagery of Aida is also present in the opera’s costume design, which swaps out the grand regalia of pharaohs, princesses and priests for 20th century military uniforms and modern African/Middle Eastern inspired caftans

The production is also refreshed by the outstanding performances of the lead singers and supporting ensemble Michelle Bradley delivers a radiant Aida, providing a forceful presence of the main character’s many emotional turns Her skillful performance illuminates the historical significance of the Aida role in African-American culture, particularly the past performances of opera legend Leontyne Price and Heather Headley’s portrayal in the 2000 Aida Broadway musical

Russell Thomas shines as Radames with an extraordinary performance of the opera’s well known aria “Celeste Aida” Jamie Barton is a formidable Amneris, offering a spirited and sometimes humorous villainy to the storyline Reginald Smith Jr is an impressive Amonasro, returning to the Lyric after his lead role in Terrance Blanchard’s Champion In Aida, Smith brings much depth and gravitas to the Ethiopian king despite his limited stage time The Lyric Opera chorus and dance ensemble do a brilliant job creating the layers of drama and spectacle that Aida is known for, particularly in the thrilling Triumphal March scene In addition, music director and Verdi expert Enrique Mazzola rallies the 69member pit orchestra through invigorating renditions of the opera’s score

It should be noted that it is also refreshing to see three Black performers in lead roles and numerous Black performers in the chorus and dance ensemble This is a welcome departure from many past productions from other opera houses that have put white performers in heavy bronzer eerily reminiscent of blackface or productions that have represented Black performers solely in roles as fan-bearing servants

Lyric’s production is certainly not your grandmother’s Aida and may appear a little off the beaten path for those familiar with more traditional interpretations. However, the show holds much merit for its innovative reimagining and thought provoking messaging about the contemporary social devastations of war as well as its visionary representation of a more diverse landscape of opera performances

cover photo credit: © Todd Rosenberg Photography

SOPRANO MICHELLE BRADLEY SINGS THE TITLE ROLE IN THE LYRIC OPERA OF AIDA © TODD ROSENBERG PHOTOGRAPHY