Aida cover art

Aida Details

1981 Certificate Ex
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 55 members

Contrary to popular belief, AIDA, Giuseppe Verdi's homage to the late-nineteenth century penchant for exoticism, was not commissioned for or performed at the opening of the Suez Canal in November 1869, indeed it would be a full two years before the premiere of AIDA at the Egyptian Khedive's newly-constructed opera house. Over a .. Read more

Starring Margaret Price, Luciano Pavarotti, San Francisco Opera
Director Brian Large, Brian Large
Genres Music/Musical, World Cinema

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Aida

Contrary to popular belief, AIDA, Giuseppe Verdi's homage to the late-nineteenth century penchant for exoticism, was not commissioned for or performed at the opening of the Suez Canal in November 1869, indeed it would be a full two years before the premiere of AIDA at the Egyptian Khedive's newly-constructed opera house. Over a century later, Sam Wanamaker's production stars Luciano Pavarotti as Radames, commander of the Egyptian Army, who falls for Ethiopian slave Aida, portrayed by the soprano Margaret Price.

Starring Margaret Price, Luciano Pavarotti, San Francisco Opera
Director Brian Large, Brian Large
Studio TELDEC VIDEO (WARNER CLASSICS)
Run time DVD: 2 hrs 43 mins
Certificate Certificate Ex
Genres Music/Musical, World Cinema
Language DVD: Italian
Subtitles DVD: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
Released DVD: 26 Aug 2002
Production year: 1981
Format DVD
  • Most helpful member's review of Aida

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  • 6 out of 7 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Very traditional stand and deliver performance

    Whilst the grandeur of Ancient Egyptian architecture may have dominated the lives of the Egyptians, the sets for this production from San Francisco dwarf the singers and are a little distracting - pillars keep sliding around between scene changes! It probably looked better live in the theatre, but the spectacle tends to oppress the singers into giving decent musical performances but pretty ropey dramatic ones. I'm a great fan of Margaret Price's creamy velvet voice, but her 'acting' in this production is terribly disappointing, she doesn't look too confident with the direction, but yet manages to sing with ravishing beauty despite all the distractions around her. Pavarotti does what he does best, he stands and delivers a strong performance in his more youthful voice (recorded in 1981). Toczyska took a while to grow on me as Amneris, and it was only in the last act that I really began to enjoy her performance. Throughout, the production is terribly traditional almost to the point of dullness, the characterisations come across very much as cardboard cut-outs - but shut your eyes and enjoy some fabulous singing.

      • Jeremy Fielding from UK
  • Most recent members' review of Aida

    View all
  • 6 out of 7 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Very traditional stand and deliver performance

    Whilst the grandeur of Ancient Egyptian architecture may have dominated the lives of the Egyptians, the sets for this production from San Francisco dwarf the singers and are a little distracting - pillars keep sliding around between scene changes! It probably looked better live in the theatre, but the spectacle tends to oppress the singers into giving decent musical performances but pretty ropey dramatic ones. I'm a great fan of Margaret Price's creamy velvet voice, but her 'acting' in this production is terribly disappointing, she doesn't look too confident with the direction, but yet manages to sing with ravishing beauty despite all the distractions around her. Pavarotti does what he does best, he stands and delivers a strong performance in his more youthful voice (recorded in 1981). Toczyska took a while to grow on me as Amneris, and it was only in the last act that I really began to enjoy her performance. Throughout, the production is terribly traditional almost to the point of dullness, the characterisations come across very much as cardboard cut-outs - but shut your eyes and enjoy some fabulous singing.

      • Jeremy Fielding from UK
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Rating breakdown

55 Member ratings
  • 100
6
  • 90
3
  • 80
6
  • 70
5
  • 60
12
  • 50
6
  • 40
2
  • 30
5
  • 20
7
  • 10
3

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    • Contrary to popular belief, AIDA, Giuseppe Verdi's homage to the late-nineteenth century penchant for exoticism, was not commissioned for or performed at the opening of the Suez Canal in November ...