Aida

Conducted by Carlo Rizzi
Directed by Graham Vick
Starring Kevin Short, Iano Tamar, Tatiana Serjan and Ruberns Pelizzari
Sung in Italian with English subtitles

Kevin Short (King of Egypt)
Iano Tamar (Amneris)
Tatiana Serjan (Aida)
Rubens Pelizzari (Radames)
Tigran Martirossian (Ramphis)
Iain Paterson (Amonasro)
Ronald Samm (Messenger)
Elisabetta Martorana (Priestess)

Conductor: Carlo Rizzi
Orchestra: Vienna Symphonic Orchestra
Chorus: The Katowice City Singers’ Ensemble – Camerata Silesia, Polish Radio Choir Krakow, Bregenz Festival Chorus
Chorus Master: Anna Szostak, Wlodzimierz Siedlik, Benjamin Lack
Staged by Graham Vick
Stage and costume design Paul Brown
Choreography Ron Howell
Directed by Felix Breisach

Set against the magnificent backdrop of Lake Constance, every production at the Bregenz Festival faces strong natural competitors. But with this first-ever production of Verdi’s “Aida” (in an abridged version) on the lakeside stage, it is easy to overlook the beauty of the surrounding nature. Stage director Graham Vick and set designer Paul Brown conjure up an “open-air spectacle of superlatives” (Die Zeit) that throws a bridge between ancient Egypt and today’s U.S.

The stage effects are stunning: ruins of the Statue of Liberty pieced together with the help of giant cranes, boats carrying priestesses and prisoners – parts of the opera even take place in the lake itself! And in the Grand March – one of the most famous marches in opera – a golden elephant comes sailing into view on a barge…

Under Carlo Rizzi (conductor of “La Traviata” with Netrebko and Villazón, available from UNITEL), the Wiener Symphoniker brilliantly support the chorus and soloists, among whom Iano Tamar (Amneris) and Tatiana Serjan (Aida) stand out. Drawing capacity crowds of over 200,000 spectators in just one season, “Aida” is the festival’s most successful opera to date, even more successful than the “Tosca” production, which has been immortalized in the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace”.

“Breathtakingly striking visual effects…” -Agence France-Presse

“A feast for the eyes and the ears.” -ZDF

“A triumph.” -The Sunday Times

“Much more than a traditional open-air production.” -Der Standard, Vienna


Coming SoonLaemmle’s Sunset 5: May 30; June 3
Laemmle Town Center 5: May 30; June 3
Laemmle’s Playhouse 7: June 3