Aida @ Fort Worth Opera
—Gregory Sullivan Isaacs
When the Fort Worth Opera announced they planned to present Verdi’s opera Aida, more than a few eyebrows were quizzically raised around town. For one thing, Aida is a mammoth opera to produce (if it’s done in classic Verdi-style).
The opera is set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, more than 2,000 years before the calendar changed from BC to AD. This was an era of monumental buildings, including the great pyramids, and a century-plus of set designs for Aida have mostly followed the pattern: Franco Zeffirelli's creations for productions at the Met and La Scala were massive, and his Aida’s culminated in the gargantuan set he built for the stage of the Arena di Verona. The original arena was built by the Romans in 30 AD, and seated 30,000; the re-do of the ancient theater still can squeeze in 20,000.
In short, “huge” is usually the word where Aida is concerned. Nonetheless, Fort Worth Opera’s version was scheduled for the handsome, medium-sized new Van Cliburn Concert Hall on the TCU campus, and would, they said, be “semi-staged.”
What would that mean?
Overall, I would say, it means they found a way to let the beauty and grandeur of Verdi’s masterpiece come through in all its Italianate glory, even though the performance was more akin to a concert version than semi-staged. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra spanned most of the stage, with the lead performers positioned in three locations on the front apron as they entered and exited the action. (Argentinian singer/director Malena Dayen is credited with staging.) The choristers filled the choir loft behind the orchestra, and projections appeared at the back of the stage, though they were sometimes indecipherable and distracting.
The soloists wore evening clothes, with men in tuxedos and women in varied versions of modern evening gowns. The choruses of Priests, priestesses, ministers, captains, soldiers, other officials, Ethiopians, slaves, assorted Egyptians, and prisoners, were similarly vested and grouped in the choir loft.
But once we settled into the visual and musical environment, the strength of Verdi’s magnificent score—and his insightful, distinctive writing for each character—brought Aida to life as fullly as in any lavish, super-sized production.
The superb conductor Elaine Rinaldi was really the unassuming star of the production. She was given the huge challenge of conducting the singers and the FWSO without direct contact with the leading characters, who were behind her. However, she did a masterful job, especially considering the liberal use of rubato allowed to the leads. Rinaldi was always on top of the text and right with the soloists, no matter what liberties they took with the music. She used a long baton but eschewed the conductorial excesses we see so often these days. Her baton technique was expressive yet precise and easily understood. [Editorial note: It’s hard to believe—but brava, maestra!—that Rinaldi is the first woman to conduct the Fort Worth Opera….]
The opera tells the love story of Aida, a princess enslaved by the Egyptians, and the Egyptian military commander Radamès, who falls in love with her. Amneris, daughter of the King, also has a sweet spot for the dashing military hero. This love triangle is the driver of the plot. In the final scene, Aida joins Radamès in his punishment; they are entombed together to die a horrible death from suffocation.
First, the singers are at a world-class level and well-suited to the roles they were assigned. There is a great deal of singing at tutta forza levels, and the acting feels a bit uneven. But that aside, there is much to admire. Michelle Bradley, in a brilliantly red off-the-shoulder gown, displays a perfectly suited voice for the role of Aida, though she seems (on the acting end) a bit frozen in the final duo-death scene.
Her rival for Radamès’ heart, the royal Amneris, is played by Tichina Vaughn, who brings more acting energy to her scenes. As the studly military hero Radamès, Ben Gulley is practically perfect for these big Verdian tenor parts. He is even able to produce a softer sound occasionally while still preserving his virility.
Kevin Thompson gives a fine performance as he King, his deep voice lending gravity to the role. The same can be said of Reginald Smith Jr.’s Amonasro, He is a captured king and the father of Aida. In addition to his deep, burnished voice, he is the best actor in the production.
In the other roles, Met favorite Morris Robinson is a stentorian Ramfis, Nathaniel Catasca an effective Messenger, and Adia Evans brings dignity to the role of the High Priestess.
The Fort Worth Symphony was marvelous all evening. Both balance and intonation were spot on, and the choral work (prepared by Afreddynn Roberts) was top-level. The choristers ably project the different moods of the words, from war cries to empathy.
The show repeats on Sunday, April 16 at 5:00 p.m., and is definitely worth seeing and hearing. It’s an excellent chance to admire the perfection of the new Van Cliburn Concert Hall, an airy space that manages to be both modern and warm—with a wonderful acoustic and great sightlines to boot. The cherry on the sundae: there’s valet parking. If you know the finding-a-spot problems at TCU, you will be happy to hand over your keys.
WHEN: Repeated today at 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Van Cliburn Concert Hall, 2900 W. Lowden Street, Fort Worth
WEB: fwopera.org
