Verdi: Aida

Set in Memphis and Thebes during the time of the pharaohs, the story centres on a love affair between Aida, an Ethiopian slave owned by Amneris, the pharaoh’s daughter, and Radamès, a captain in the Egyptian guard. Their relationship is thwarted by the armed conflict between their two peoples and the jealousy of Amneris, who is in love with Radamès. ‘Aida’ is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni based on a plot by Auguste Mariette, premiered on 24 December 1871 at the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo. From the box set ‘Tutto Verdi’, featuring 27 of Verdi’s operas. Recorded live at the Teatro Regio in Parma on 1 and 5 February 2012.

Directed by Joseph Franconi Lee, Tiziano Mancini, Verdi: Aida leans on a strong ensemble — Susanna Branchini, Carlo Malinverno, Mariana Pentcheva — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about music titles of 2012.