(1.25) Head over to the Showcase Cinema this Saturday for a live broadcast of Verdi’s “Aida” from The Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Soprano Angel Blue makes her long-awaited Met role debut as the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country, one of opera’s defining roles. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium for the New Year’s Eve premiere of Michael Mayer’s spectacular new staging, which brings audiences inside the towering pyramids and gilded tombs of ancient Egypt with intricate projections and dazzling animations.
How fabulous is this image; the costumes for this production are astonishing. And her name is Angel Blue?
Six years ago I attended Wagner’s “Die Walküre” and it was extraordinary. And I think I know what they mean by “intricate projections and dazzling animations.” They perform magic with the staging and visual effects now. And the sound is great.
One thing I hadn’t been ready for was the intermission. You can take a break as needed, but the people doing the live broadcast just keep the cameras running! Last time they poked around behind the scenes and into the lobby where fancy people were drinking champagne. (The scheduled intermission for this event is 30 minutes.)
The action of the story takes place in “ancient Egypt, at the time of the pharaohs.” A brief synopsis:
The Egyptians have captured and enslaved Aida, an Ethiopian princess. An Egyptian military commander, Radamès, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the King of Egypt. To complicate the story further, the King’s daughter Amneris is in love with Radamès, although he does not return her feelings.
Estimated running time: 3 hours, 5 minutes. Go here for tickets ($22 to $29).
Aida, 12:30pm, Saturday, January 25, Prov Place Cinema, The Mall, (directions)