Great Britain, Italy

Verdi wrote Aida for the new Cairo Opera House, which had been built to mark the opening of the Suez Canal. The majesty of the Egypt of the Pharaohs provides the background for the human drama arising from the conflicting demands of love, patriotism and filial piety The Arena di Verona, built in the First century BC and with a seating capacity of 25,000 is a natural seating for Aida above all operas. The cast of this video recording is led by the soprano Maria Chiara as Aida, Fiorenza Cossotto, one of today's great interpreters of Amneris, with Nicole Martinucci as Radames and Giuseppe ScandoIa as Amonasro.