Verdi's Aida
Robert Carsen (stage director), Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor) — With Elena Stikhina (Aida), Francesco Meli (Radames), Agnieszka Rehlis (Amneris) …
Thank you for your understanding.
Cast
Robert Carsen — Stage director, lighting designer
Miriam Buether — Set designer
Annemarie Woods — Costumes
Peter van Praet — Lighting designer
Rebecca Howell — Choreographer
Duncan McLean — Video designer
Elena Stikhina — Aida
Francesco Meli — Radames
Agnieszka Rehlis — Amneris
Ludovic Tézier — Amonasro
Soloman Howard — Ramfis
In-Sung Sim — King of Egypt
Francesca Chiejina — High Priestess
Andrés Presno — Messenger
Royal Opera Chorus
William Spaulding — Chorus director
Program notes
How can artists stage Verdi's Aïda in 2024 without falling into exoticizing tropes? For director Robert Carsen, the answer was simple: transpose the action to a completely different context — an imaginary and instantly chilling dictatorship. Against a backdrop of cold concrete, the remarkable soloists (including Elena Stikhina in the title role, Francesco Meli as Radamès, Ludovic Tézier as Amonasro, and Soloman Howard as a Ramphis for the ages) and incredible chorus members of the Royal Opera House, dressed in military garb, play out the action of this grand opera masterpiece for an audience held in rapt suspense. The ballet sequence, choreographed by Rebecca Howell, also takes full advantage of the military theme…
