The Mariinsky Theatre is set to unveil a spectacular new production of Verdi’s operatic masterpiece, Aida, in February. This grand staging, helmed by the renowned Italian director Giancarlo del Monaco, will grace the Mariinsky-2 stage, with premiere performances scheduled for 7, 8 (at 13:00 and 19:00), 9 (at 13:00 and 19:00), 10 and 11 February.
Commissioned by the Khedive of Egypt to celebrate the opening of the Cairo Opera House and the completion of the Suez Canal, Aida premiered in Cairo in 1871, a year later than planned, as Verdi was unable to finish the opera in time for the canal’s inauguration. However, fate smiled upon Aida, and it quickly captivated audiences worldwide, becoming a mainstay of the operatic repertoire.
The Russian premiere took place at the Bolshoi (Kamenny) Theatre in St Petersburg in 1875, performed by the Imperial Italian Opera Company. Just two years later, in 1877, the Imperial Russian Opera Company presented the work at the Mariinsky Theatre in a Russian translation by Grigory Lishin. Aida continued to grace the Mariinsky (then known as the Kirov Theatre) throughout the Soviet era, and the history of modern productions began in 1998 with a staging by Alexei Stepanyuk, which remains in the theatre’s repertoire today. In 2011 the renowned Swiss theatre and circus director Daniele Finzi Pasca presented his own interpretation of Aida at the Concert Hall.
This latest production, eagerly anticipated by audiences, is the result of a collaboration between an international team led by the celebrated Italian director Giancarlo del Monaco. Set designer Antonio Romero and costume designer Gabriela Salaverri have created a visually stunning world for the opera, while choreographer Emil Faski brings dynamic movement to the stage.
Del Monaco’s production promises to be a spectacle of grand scale and innovative technical elements. The Mariinsky-2 offers the possibility of swift changes in visual perspective, with sections of the stage rising and falling to create dramatic effects. The production, which features hundreds of artists, including soloists, a large chorus and numerous extras, boasts nearly 400 costumes.
The director’s vision draws inspiration from architecture, reflecting the belief that the ideas and aspirations of different historical periods find expression in the buildings they create. The new production incorporates historically accurate set elements: fragments of ancient Egyptian structures – temples and monuments – constructed from materials reminiscent of basalt and volcanic lava, alongside imposing ten-metre-high columns and statues. These visual and technical features complement Verdi’s majestic and unforgettable music, a jewel of the Italian operatic tradition. However, del Monaco keeps the focus on the characters’ personal dramas and the complex interplay of their relationships.
“Aida is a late, mature masterpiece by Verdi,” del Monaco notes. “I have seen productions of this opera in both modern and classical styles, often with historical inaccuracies. There are also productions where everything is built around the anticipation of the Triumphal March. But I perceive Aida as a very personal, even intimate opera, similar to Don Carlo. Everything here is personal drama. Aida is perhaps one of Verdi’s most intimate operas, so it is essential to bring to the stage the personal drama that unfolds against the backdrop of political events.”
The production also reflects the religious history of ancient Egypt, where many animals were revered as sacred creatures. The Aida team has engaged an unusual “performer” not seen in any other current production at the Mariinsky Theatre.
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