This page excerpted from the book and CDROM "Opera on Screen"

AIDA

1871 opera by Verdi

Aida is the most popular of the "grand operas" and its grandiose spectacle and stirring music have made it a favorite at outdoor arenas like Verona where elephants can join the triumphal march. Its spectacle has also made it a favorite of filmmakers. Librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni focuses the story on Aida, daughter of an Ethiopian king. She is a captive slave in Egypt in love with Radames, the man chosen to lead the Egyptian army. The Pharaoh's jealous daughter Amneris also fancies Radames so Aida's love eventually leads to death. The opera premiered in Cairo though it was not actually commissioned for the opening of the Suez Canal.

1949 NBC Toscanini video

This is an historic concert version of the opera with Arturo Toscanini conducting on a 1949 NBC telecast. It's rather formal but wonderful all the same. The singers are Herva Nelli as Aida, Richard Tucker as Radames, Eva Gustavson as Amneris, Giuseppe Valdengo as Amonasro, Dennis Harbour as the King, Norman Scott as Ramfis and Teresa Stich-Randall as the Priestess. Toscanini conducts the NBC Symphony Orchestra and Robert Shaw Chorale. The telecast was produced by Don Gillis and directed by Doug Rodgers. Black and white. In Italian. 149 minutes. BMG video and laser.

1953 Sophia Loren film

This famous film was launched like a live spectacle by impresario Sol Hurok and was promoted as the first opera film in color. Sophia Loren stars as Aida with her singing dubbed by Renata Tebaldi. The film was a major production with top La Scala and Rome Opera singers and grandiose sets. Amneris is played by Lois Maxwell and sung by Ebe Stignani, Radames by Luciano della Marras sung by Giuseppe Campora, Amonasro by Afro Poli sung by Gino Bechi and Ramfis by Giulio Neri sung by Antonio Cassinelli. Flavio Mogherini designed the sets and Pietro Portalupi was the cinematographer. Renzo Rossellini conducted the Italian State Radio Orchestra and Clemente Fracassi directed the film. Oscar Film. Color. In Italian. 95 minutes. On video.

1958 Leontyne Price in Canada

Price sings the role of Aida and performs the third act of the opera for a Radio-Canada TV concert on Oct. 23, 1958. William McGrath portrays Radames and Napoleon Bisson plays Amonasro. The music is played by the Radio-Canada Orchestra. François Bernier directed the film. Black and white. 30 minutes.

1961 Mario Del Monaco video

Mario del Monaco is a powerful Radames with Gabriella Tucci as his Aida in this production taped in Tokyo for Japanese television. Giulietta Simionato portrays Amneris and Aldo Protti is Amonasro with Franco Capuana conducting the Lirica Italiana Orchestra. Black and white. In Italian with English and Japanese subtitles. VAI video/ Japanese laser.

1963 Verona Arena

Tullio Serafin, then aged 85, conducts the Verona Arena Chorus and Orchestra in this vintage performance of the opera. Leyla Gencer portrays Aida opposite Giulietta Simionato as Amneris, Gastone Limarilli is Radames, Giangiacomo Guelfi is Amonasro and Bonaldo Giaotti is Ramfis. Black and white. In Italian. 83 minutes. Video in INA Archives, Verona.

1966 Verona Arena

Leyla Gencer again stars as Aida with Carlo Bergonzi as her Radames in this wonderful production at the open-air Verona Arena. Fiorenza Cossotto is Amneris, Anselmo Colzani is Amonasro and Bonaldo Giaiotti is Ramfis. Acting styles and production values have changed a lot at Verona in the past thirty years but these voices have never been superseded. Franco Capuana conducts the Verona Arena Chorus and Orchestra. Black and white. In Italian. 150 minutes. Bel Canto video.

1976 Orange Festival

Grace Bumbry sings the role of Amneris, Mexican soprano Gilda Cruz-Romo is Aida and Bulgarian tenor Peter Gougaloff is Radames in this open-air production in the old Roman theater in Orange, France. Invar Wixell sings Amonasro and Thomas Schippers conducts the Turin Regio Theater Orchestra. The opera was filmed live by Pierre Jourdan. Color. In Italian with Japanese subtitles. 149 minutes. Lyric video/Japanese laser.

1981 Verona Arena

The Arena di Verona, an open air Roman amphitheater seating 25,000, is the perfect spectacular setting for Aida. This production by Giancarlo Sbragia is of real grandeur with sets by Vittorio Rossi of a size most designers can only dream about. Maria Chiara sings Aida, Nicola Martinucci is Radames, Fiorenza Cossotto is Amneris, Carlo Zardo is Ramfis, Alfredo Zanazzo is the King and Giuseppe Scandola is Amonasro. Anton Guadagno conducts the Verona Arena Orchestra and Chorus. Brian Large directed the video and provides a better view of the opera than the real audience gets. Color. In Italian with English subtitles. 150 minutes. HBO video.

1981 Opera Stories

A highlights laserdisc version of the Verona Arena production described above. Charlton Heston narrates the story from Egypt where he filmed his introductions to the opera scenes in 1989 under the direction of Keith Cheetham. Color. In English and Italian with subtitles. 52 minutes. Pioneer Artists laser.

1985 Metropolitan Opera

Leontyne Price stars as Aida, one of her great roles, with James McCracken as Radames in this Metropolitan Opera production by John Dexter. Fiorenza Cossotto is Amneris, Simon Estes is Amonasro, John Macurdy is Ramfis and Dimitri Kavrakos is the King. David Reppa designed the sets and James Levine conducted the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Brian Large directed the Live from the Met telecast on Jan. 3, 1985. Color. In Italian with English subtitles. 150 minutes. Video at MTR.

1986 Teatro alla Scala

An impressive staging at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan with Maria Chiara as Aida partnered by Luciano Pavarotti as Radames. Stage director Luca Ronconi wanted spectacular sets and designer Mauro Pagano certainly provided them. Ghena Dimitrova is a powerful Amneris, Juan Pons is Amonasro, Nicolai Ghiaurov is Ramfis and Paata Burchuladze is the King. The La Scala Orchestra and chorus are conducted by Lorin Maazel. Derek Bailey directed the video. Color. In Italian with English subtitles. 160 minutes. Home Vision video/Pioneer laser.

1988 Claes Fellbom film

Claes Fellbom's Swedish film is a fascinating attempt to create a genuine primitive setting for the opera with Egyptian society envisioned as a barbaric kingdom. It was filmed on the island of Lanzarote by cinematographer Jorgen Persson and is sung in Swedish by members of the Swedish Folk Opera. It was reviewed in America as the "topless" Aida because of the women's costumes. Aida is played by Margareta Ridderstedt, Radames is played by Niklas Ek but sung by Robert Grundin, Amneris is Ingrid Tomasson and Jan Van Der Schaaf is Amonasro. The music is performed by the Swedish Folk Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Kerstin Nerbe. The film premiered in the U. S. at the AFI Cinetex Festival in Las Vegas. Color. In Swedish with English subtitles. 116 minutes. On video.

1989 Metropolitan Opera

Aprile Millo is an intense Aida and Placido Domingo a powerful Radames in this fine Metropolitan Opera production by Sonja Frisell. Dolora Zajick sings Amneris, Paata Burchuladze is Ramfis, Dimitri Kavrakis is the King and Sherrill Milnes is Amonasro. Gianni Quaranta designed the sets, Rodney Griffin created the impressive dance sequences and James Levine led the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus. Brian Large directed the video. The telecast won an Emmy as the Outstanding Classical Program in the Performing Arts. Color. In Italian with English subtitles. 158 minutes. DG video/laser.

1994 Royal Opera

Cheryl Studer sings Aida with Dennis O'Neill as Radames in this excellent Royal Opera, Covent Garden, production by Elijah Moshinsky. Luciana D'Intino is Amneris, Robert Lloyd is Ramfis and Alexandru Agache sings Amonasro. Michael Yeargan designed the sets and Edward Downes conducted the Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus. Brian Large directed the video. Color. In Italian with English subtitles. 152 minutes. Home Vision video/ Pioneer laser.

Early/related films

1911 Edison film

Mary Fuller portrays Aida in this Edison film based on the Verdi opera. Marc MacDermott is Radames, Miriam Nesbitt is Amneris and Charles Ogle is the Pharaoh. The film premiered May 6, 1911 with live Aida music. Contemporary critics thought it a magnificent reproduction of the opera. Oscar Apfel and J. Searle Dawley wrote and directed. Black and white. About l2 minutes.

1911 Bianca Lorezoni film

Bianca Lorezoni stars as Aida in this early Italian film from the Film d'Arte Italiana company. The cast includes Virgilio Frigerio as Radames and Rina Agozzino Alessio as Amneris. Black and white. About 10 minutes. Print in Dutch film archive.

1914 The Nightingale

Ethel Barrymore portrays a street singer who becomes an opera star in Paris and the Met singing the title role in Aida. The plot of this American film foreshadows what occurred at the Met four years later when Rosa Ponselle became an opera star with no prior experience. Black and white. About 30 minutes.

1927-1930 Giovanni Martinelli films

Giovanni Martinelli of the Metropolitan Opera made three Vitaphone sound films in 1927 and 1930 featuring excerpts from Aida. In two he sings "Celeste Aida," in the other he joins soprano Ina Bourskaya in the duet from the Temple Scene. Black and white. Each film about eight minutes.

1960 The Girl with a Suitcase

Valerio Zurlini's film La Ragazza con la Valigia has as its heroine a girl named Aida (Claudia Cardinale). As she walks down her boyfriend's staircase "Celeste Aida" is played on a phonograph as sung by Beniamino Gigli. Black and white. In Italian. 113 minutes.

1962 Leontyne Price on Voice of Firestone

Leontyne Price, one of the most famous interpreters of the role of Aida, is shown performing on the Voice of Firestone television show. She sings O Patria mia in costume with set. Howard Barlow conducts. The program was telecast Dec. 30, 1962. Black and white. In Italian with English introductions. About 7 minutes. VAI video A Firestone Verdi Festival

1987 The Aida File

An informative documentary about the opera tracing its origins with footage of past performances by great Aidas. It includes interviews with Eva Turner, Renata Tebaldi, Grace Bumbry, Carlo Bergonzi and Luciano Pavarotti. The Verdi material was shot in the La Scala Museum and in Parma and features George Barker as Verdi and Colin Jeavons as libretto writer Antonio Ghislanzoni. The film was made for the South Bank Show by producer Hilary Chadwick and director Derek Bailey. Color. 77 minutes. Home Vision Video.