Aida

Probably no opera oeuvre and opera house has become more synonymous than Aida and the Arena di Verona: Verdi’s monumental most famous and most played opera established the Arena di Verona as an opera festival venue nearly 100 years ago. Since then, the Arena with its gigantic stage dimensions and its historic charm of a 2,000-year-old roman amphitheatre set in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, has staged Verdi’s masterpiece more than 500 times. As a showpiece in the repertoire Aida is a challenge to the vocal, musical and dramatic means of every opera house. The tragic love story with a political background is ideal for a performance at the Arena. The vast space of the amphitheater provides a magnificent decoration, as would be typical for an epic film. At the center of the spectacle are the singers, the elaborate scenery and the unique atmosphere of the Arena with 20,000 seats. Responsible for the staging of this production is director Gianfranco de Bosio who revives the original production from 1913. Daniel Oren, the experienced and highly estimated Maestro of the Arena for almost 30 years, conducts the Orchestra…. Chinese soprano Hui He is in the lead role of Aida, Hungarian mezzo Andrea Ulbrich her rival Amneris, Italian tenor Marco Berti Aida’s beloved Ramadès and Italian baritone Ambrogio Maestri Aida’s father Amonasro. The Opera was produced in standard High Definition 1080 as well as in 3D.

200 Years of Verdi – A Gala Concert

Gala Concert from the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on occation of the 200th birthday of Giuseppe Verdi in 2013. On the program highlights from Verdi’s most famous works. —- PROGRAM: Messa da Requiem – Dies Irae / Macbeth – Ambizioso spirto; Patria oppressa; O figi miei / Rigoletto – Caro nome Cortigliani, vil razza / I vespri siciliani – O tu Palermo / Il trovatore – Tacea la notte placida; Il balen del suo sorriso; Di quella pira / La forza del destino – Pace, pace, mio dio; Il santo nome di Dio Signore; La vergine degli angeli / La traviata – Preludio I Atto; E strano; Di provenza il mare e il suol / Don Carlo – Ella giammai m‘amò; Tu che le vanità; O don fatale, o don crudel / Aida – O patria mia; Celeste Aida; Marcia trionfale / Falstaff – È sogno o realtà; Tutto nel mondo è burla