Metropolitan Opera Opens First New Production Of Aida In Nearly 4 Decades

Soprano Angel Blue in Met Opera's production of Verdi’s Aida — Soprano Angel Blue makes her Met opera role debut in Verdi’s Aida (Photo: The Metropolitan Opera)

Michael Mayer’s production of Aida opened at the Metropolitan Opera this past week. Mayer’s staging is the first new production in nearly 4 decades, following Sonja Frisell’s 1988 production.

Out with the old: Along with a new year came a new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida for the Metropolitan Opera. Staged by director Michael Mayer, the production follows Sonja Frisell’s legendary production from 1988, which has had more than 240 performances at the Met. While the Frisell production was a traditionalist crowd pleaser full of hieroglyphics and torchlit temples, Mayer’s production takes a different approach. Mayer and set designer Christine Jones employed animators to include digital projections alongside set pieces. A team of early 20th century archaeologists in Panama hats take the stage alongside the star-crossed lovers Radamès and Aida.

Looking back in time: Verdi’s Aida is one of the most-performed operas at the Metropolitan Opera, where it was staged 1176 times between 1886 and 2022. Originally commissioned by Cairo’s Khedivial Opera House where it premiered in 1871, the opera’s story is believed to originate from the French archaeologist Auguste Mariette (1821–81).

We recommend checking out our favourite performance of Aida from the Metropolitan Opera: soprano Leontyne Price’s farewell in 1985. Good luck holding back tears as Price’s ovation goes on and on.

Author
Recent Posts

Sara Schabas

Sara Schabas is a Dora-nominated soprano, writer and yoga teacher. She has performed and created leading roles with companies including Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Dayton Opera, and Aspen Opera, and is a former member of Barbara Hannigan’s Equilibrium Young Artists. Currently based in Montreal, she is a doctoral student at McGill University — where she recently received the Wirth Vocal Prize — and editor of Art Song Canada magazine.