BY RAYNALD C RIVERA
DOHA: Three hours of immense vocal display and spectacular settings mesmerised hundreds of opera lovers at the first staging of Giuseppe Verdi’s 141-year-old masterwork ‘Aida’ held at the Katara Amphitheatre on Thursday night.
H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser joined the audience who applauded the four-act opera numerous times more than anyone could remember. Aida was the first opera held at the Katara Amphitheatre, the biggest open air theatre in the region which provided a perfect backdrop for the setting of the tragic love story set in ancient Egypt.
Dominating chiefly the huge set, gigantic statues of deities and pharaohs shifting from one scene to another were a sight to behold and the big number of carefully chosen cast ensemble was equally impressive. Considered one of the most popular of Verdi’s operas, Aida traces the tale of star-crossed lovers Aida, a Nubian princess and Radamès, an Egyptian military commander. Captured and enslaved by the Egyptian army, Aida was faced with the decision of choosing between her own true love and her loyalty to the people.
Lucrecia Garcia who plays Aida stunned the audience with her commanding presence and remarkable vocal range which made her a perfect fit for the character which earned her great reviews from Madrid and Athens to Seattle and Berlin. Statuesque beauty Ekaterina Gubanova who plays Amneris, Aida’s rival to Radamès’ love, delivered an equally outstanding performance especially during Act II when the two women confront each other which comprises one of the more poignant moments in the entire opera.
The two heroines were both notable both during arias and duets with their powerful voices not overpowered by the 101-piece Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra which played the music with such exceptional eloquence under the baton of Verdi specialist Maestro Pier Giorgio Morandi.
Multi-awarded tenor Jorge De Leon’s impeccable performance as Radamès also shone during the night as well as Ambrogio Maestri who plays Amonasro, Aida’s father and King of Ethiopia
The main cast also included Deyan Vatchkov (King of Egypt), Stefan Kocan (Ramfis), Yusif Eyvasov (Messenger) and Saue Kyung Rim (Priestess). The chorus comprised the Budapest Opera Choir and Kodály Choir Debrecen with ballet soloists Máté Bakó and Sara Weisz the Hungarian Dance Academy.
Aida is directed by Renzo Giacchieri and costume and set design by Igor Mitoraj. The Verdi classic was especially selected as the first opera to be performed at Katara Amphitheatre for the public being the most familiar opera in the region having premiered in Cairo in 1871 and to join the bicentenary celebration for Verdi and Wagner which starts in January next year, according to Katara Artistic Director Dr Emad Amrallah Sultan. Aida will stage one more performance tomorrow at 7.30pm at the Katara Amphitheatre.The Peninsula
