Commissioned in 1869 by Ismailia Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt, for the ceremonial opening of the Suez Canal, Giuseppe Verdi was initially indifferent to creating 'Aida'. However, money can be persuasive, and the dizzying fee of 150,000 gold francs plus a free hand in the selection of performers, quickly convinced him to get writing! In these comfortable conditions, a timeless and unforgettable work was created. Aida's very appropriately premiered in Cairo in December of 1871. The libretto tells the story of Aida, the daughter of the Ethiopian king Amonastro, formerly a slave at the Egyptian court, who falls in love with the Egyptian leader - Radames. Unfortunately for Aida, the daughter of the Egyptian king, Amneris, is also in love with him. When war breaks out between Ethiopia and Egypt, Radames is elected commander-in-chief of the army. Desperate Aida wishes her beloved good luck, knowing full well that she is betraying both her country and her own father. When the victorious Radames returns from the fighting, the Egyptian king offers him the hand of his daughter Amneris, and Aida and her father Amonastro are to remain hostages. In short, Aida is a story about love and patriotism, and that tragedies can result in acting on emotion rather than common sense. This production at the Grand Theatre of Łódź is directed by Marek Weiss-Grzesiński and has been noted in previews for using the original scenography! Performance in Italian with subtitles in Polish.
