THE STAR SYDNEY

GRAND OPERA

Aida takes over the stadium

It was bigger than Ben and Mrs Hur put together when they staged Giuseppe Verdi’s massive masterpiece Aida – so big they needed the Sydney Football Stadium to accommodate it!

An incredible 1250 cast members, lions, leopards, horses, camels, pythons and elephants assembled on a gargantuan 80 X 40 m stage for the $7 million production.

There’s a huge set which includes a 14m replica of the Sphinx and three pyramids 14m, 17m and 20m high. And 1500 costumes and 5000 props.

Maestro Giuseppe Raffa, one of the world’s leading experts in staging large outdoor operatic events, conducted the full symphony orchestra for Verdi’s epic tale of love and loyalties in ancient Egypt.

And if you wanted a taste of the treat in store before you venture $30 and $200 for a ticket there was s a free Verdi in the Park Concert at Darling Harbour’s Tumbelong Park from 2 – 4pm on 19 November.

Sponsored by Toyota Cressida – as are the main Aida performances – 120 members of the Aida Choir and a full orchestra will present highlights from Aida and Nabucco.

The productions has already been seen at Egypt’s Giza Pyramids in Cairo where it attracted 60000 mainly tourists. Fort two performances at Montreal the spectacular show had 80000 viewers.

The three Sydney performances greatened those figures with the an audience of 120 000 who were drawn from all over Australia and New Zealand.

For the production some of the world’s leading operatic performers have been drawn to the spectacle by Maestro Giuseppe Raffa and stage director Mauro Bolognini, one of Italy’s leading film directors.

GIANT STAGING: The Sphinx from Aida