Aida

opera by Verdi

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June 18, 2026

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Aida is an opera by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, with a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. It premiered in Cairo in 1871 and is considered one of Verdi's masterpieces, combining the grandeur of French grand opera with his signature emotional intensity.12

The opera is set in ancient Egypt and tells the story of a love triangle between the Ethiopian princess Aida, the Egyptian commander Radamès, and the Egyptian princess Amneris. Aida is known for its spectacular scenes, powerful choruses, and moving arias, such as Radamès's "Celeste Aida". The work showcases Verdi's mature genius in character portrayal and orchestral color.13

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Giuseppe Verdi
The later middle years of Giuseppe Verdi
…libretto exactly to his needs, Aida. Verdi wrote a detailed scenario—much simpler than those of the previous two operas—employing Antonio Ghislanzoni, a competent poet, to turn it into verse, the meters of which were often dictated by the composer. Commissioned by the khedive of Egypt to celebrate the opening of…
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…libretto exactly to his needs, Aida. Verdi wrote a detailed scenario—much simpler than those of the previous two operas—employing Antonio Ghislanzoni, a competent poet, to turn it into verse, the meters of which were often dictated by the composer. Commissioned by the khedive of Egypt to celebrate the opening of…
Read More

opera
Verdi
…in Cairo, Verdi responded with Aida (libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario by Auguste Mariette, the French Egyptologist, and Camille du Locle, with the collaboration of Verdi), which received its premiere in 1871. Aida combines the heroic quality and spectacle of grand opera with the composer’s penchant for…
Read More
…in Cairo, Verdi responded with Aida (libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario by Auguste Mariette, the French Egyptologist, and Camille du Locle, with the collaboration of Verdi), which received its premiere in 1871. Aida combines the heroic quality and spectacle of grand opera with the composer’s penchant for…
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Islamic arts
The modern period
… (1856), and Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Aida inaugurated the opera house in Cairo in 1871. Expanding contact with Western music caused certain alterations in traditional musical styles. There was a widespread musical renaissance, with two main centres: the leading school in Egypt was open to modernism and Western influences, while in…
Read More
… (1856), and Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Aida inaugurated the opera house in Cairo in 1871. Expanding contact with Western music caused certain alterations in traditional musical styles. There was a widespread musical renaissance, with two main centres: the leading school in Egypt was open to modernism and Western influences, while in…
Read More