Aida is a musical with music by
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, lyrics by
Tim RiceSir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
, and book by
Linda WoolvertonLinda Woolverton is an American writer who wrote the screenplay for Disney's animated feature film Beauty and the Beast and co-wrote the screenplay for the The Lion King. Woolverton then went on to write the Broadway musical version of Beauty and the Beast and assisted in adapting The Lion King to...
, Robert Falls, and
David Henry HwangDavid Henry Hwang is an American playwright who has risen to prominence as the preeminent Asian American dramatist in the U.S.He was born in Los Angeles, California and was educated at the Yale School of Drama and Stanford University...
, and produced by
Walt Disney TheatricalDisney Theatrical Group, also known as Disney Theatrical Productions, is the stageplay and musical production arm of The Walt Disney Company...
.
Aida premiered on
BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
on March 23, 2000, running for 1,852 performances until September 5, 2004 (34th longest running Broadway musical). The musical also ran from 2001–2003 and from 2006-2007 during two US national tours, and also ran in international productions which performed in 20 different countries, and is still performed in international productions, regional theatres, colleges and high schools.
Aida was nominated for five Tony Awards and won four Tony Awards in 2000, including Best Musical Score and Best Performance by a Leading Actress. Aida was also named by Time Magazine in 2000 as one of the top ten theatre productions of the year. The First National tour was nominated for nine National Broadway Theatre awards (now "Touring Broadway Awards") and won five awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Actor, and Best Actress.
The
Aida (2000 Original Broadway Cast)
Cast recordingA cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast...
won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. A song from
Aida, "Written in the Stars" (recorded and sung by Elton John and LeAnn Rimes) reached No.2 in the Billboard US adult contemporary music charts, and No.1 in the Canadian contemporary charts.
Background
The show is performed in two acts based on
Giuseppe VerdiGiuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
's Italian-language
operaAida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
by the same name, the scenario of which was written by
Auguste MarietteFrançois Auguste Ferdinand Mariette was a French scholar, archaeologist and Egyptologist, the designer of the rebuilt Egyptian Museum under Maximilian of Austria orders when the later had gained control of the artifacts collected to that point.-Early career:Born at Boulogne-sur-Mer, Mariette...
. The musical originated from a children's storybook version of Verdi's opera written by the soprano
Leontyne PriceMary Violet Leontyne Price is an American soprano. Born and raised in the Deep South, she rose to international acclaim in the 1950s and 1960s, and was one of the first African Americans to become a leading artist at the Metropolitan Opera.One critic characterized Price's voice as "vibrant",...
. The book featured illustrations by
Leo and Diane DillonLeo and Diane Dillon are an American husband and wife team of illustrators. Among their awards are two consecutive Caldecott Medals for the children's books Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People's Ears and Ashanti To Zulu: African Traditions....
. The rights were acquired by Disney studios for a proposed animated feature film. Development on the film was shelved, but the source material evolved into the stage version.
Act I
In the Egyptian wing of a modern museum, a man and a woman touring the exhibit catch each other's eyes. A statue of Amneris, a female Pharaoh, comes to life ("Every Story Is a Love Story") and transports them to ancient Egypt, where Radames, captain of the Egyptian army, and his men are returning from an expedition through the land of Nubia, Egypt's long-time enemy ("Fortune Favors the Brave"). When his soldiers capture a group of Nubian women, he is captivated by one of the women, Aida, who tries to free herself by out-dueling one of his soldiers. Radames forces her to wash his back, but she refuses, saying that although the Egyptians took everything from the Nubians, they will never take their spirit ("The Past Is Another Land"). Radames saves her and the other women from the copper mines by sending them to the palace groundskeeper instead, but sends Aida as a handmaiden to his betrothed, Princess Amneris. Radames' father, Chief Minister Zoser, greets his son with news that the Pharaoh is dying, and Radames must prepare to become the next ruler of Egypt ("Another Pyramid"). Unbeknownst to Radames, his father is poisoning the Pharaoh in order to accelerate Radames' ascension to the throne.
Radames's Nubian servant, Mereb, is a young man who has learned the tricks of survival in Egypt. While delivering Aida to the princess, Mereb recognizes her as the daughter of the Nubian king under whom he had served during his days in Nubia. She commands him to keep her identity a secret, lest the Egyptians kill her ("How I Know You"). Presented to Amneris, Aida is liked immediately, and she perceives that the Princess' love of fashion only serves as a mask of her insecurities ("My Strongest Suit"). At a banquet, Amneris and Radames learn from the Pharaoh that they are to marry in seven days, leaving the captain distraught that his days as an explorer have ended ("Fortune Favors the Brave (Reprise)"*). Together, he and Aida share their dreams and regrets ("Enchantment Passing Through").
Later that night, Amneris worries about her father's illness, and finds in Aida someone who understands and encourages her ("My Strongest Suit (Reprise)"). Bursting into his fiancée's chamber, Radames steals a moment with Aida to share his growing attraction to her. Aida is taken by Mereb to the Nubian camp, where she reluctantly submits to her people's pleas to lead them ("Dance of the Robe"). When she implores Radames to help the Nubians, he opens his heart by giving his possessions to them ("Not Me") and declaring his love for Aida("Elaborate Lives"). Unable to fight her feelings any longer, she falls into his embrace. Their bliss is interrupted by news that Radames' armies have captured Amonasro, king of Nubia and Aida's father. Unable to comfort her, Radames leaves Aida in distress. Rallying her people, Aida assures them that Nubia will never die ("The Gods Love Nubia").
Act II
Aida, Amneris, and Radames are entangled in conflicted loyalties and emotions ("A Step Too Far"), that Aida might be a traitor to her people as she loves Radames, that his love for her could end his life as he knows it, and that he does not show the attention that Amneris deserves. Aida and Mereb bribe their way into Amonasro's prison cell, where she is reunited with her father. Mereb hatches a plan to escape with the king during the commotion of Amneris' wedding. To save her father and her nation, Aida must betray the man she loves ("Easy as Life"). Meanwhile, Zoser discovers Radames' affair and warns his son that it could cost him the throne, but Radames no longer shares his father's ambitions ("Like Father, Like Son"). After an emotional bout with his son, Zoser orders his men to find Aida and kill her.
At the Nubian camp, Aida receives a written apology from Radames for the thoughtless way he acted upon hearing of Amonasro's capture ("Radames' Letter") and for his lack of showing affection. When Egyptian soldiers arrive seeking Aida, another Nubian, Nehebka, sacrifices herself so that the princess can live ("Dance of the Robe (Reprise)"*). Now even more determined to leave Radames forever, Aida goes to say good-bye to him over Mereb's objections ("How I Know You (Reprise)"). Radames informs Aida that he is calling off the wedding. Aida knows that this would ruin her father's escape and tells him he must go through with it ("Written in the Stars"). Radames agrees, on condition that she escapes to freedom on a boat he will provide. The heartbroken lovers part, but Amneris has overheard their entire conversation and tries to face the fact that her upcoming marriage is a sham ("I Know the Truth").
News of Amonasro's escape disrupts Amneris' wedding. Radames learns the truth of Aida's identity when he arrives at the docks just as she is about to board his boat with her father. Although he is angry that Aida hid this from him, she says she never lied about loving him. In the ensuing chaos, Mereb is mortally wounded by Zoser, and Radames makes possible Amonasro's escape by cutting the rope tied to the dock, but Aida stays with Radames and a dying Mereb. Zoser flees, and Mereb dies in the arms of his kind master and beloved princess. Radames and Aida are then arrested for treason. At the ensuing trial, Pharaoh announces Zoser's apprehension and sentences both Aida and Radames to be buried alive. Amneris reprises her role as a future Pharaoh by convincing her father to let the lovers die in the same tomb, an act of mercy for two people she has come to love. Facing death, Aida looks to Radames for strength ("Elaborate Lives (Reprise)"). As they are slowly deprived of light and air ("Enchantment Passing Through (Reprise)"), Radames swears he will search through a hundred lifetimes to find her again if he has to.
Back in the contemporary museum, the spirit of Amneris reveals that as she became Pharaoh, the lovers' deaths gave birth to a reign of peace between Egypt and Nubia. She watches as the modern man and woman are strangely drawn to each other. They are the reincarnations of Aida and Radames, finding each other in a new beginning ("Every Story is a Love Story (Reprise)").
**"Fortune Favors the Brave (Reprise)", the instrumental "Dance of the Robe (Reprise)", the Overture and the Entr'acte are not featured on the Original Broadway Cast Recording or the International Recordings of the production.
Principal roles
AidaAida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
|
Daughter of Amonasro and Princess of Nubia. With her royalty unknown to all except Mereb, who recognizes her as princess, she is taken into slavery with the rest of Nubia, but attracts the attention of Radames. |
| Radames |
Captain of the Egyptian army, son of Zoser, and fiancé to Amneris. He is expected to succeed the Egyptian throne after the Pharaoh's death, but finds himself intrigued by a Nubian slave, Aida, instead. |
| Amneris |
Princess of Egypt, daughter of the Pharaoh, and fiancée to Radames. She is renowned by all for her fashionable ways. Aida is given to her as a gift to be her handmaiden, by whom her true nature is seen: that she is merely using this fashion-driven identity to hide her own insecurities. |
| Mereb |
A Nubian servant to Radames, who was taken captive by Egyptians as a youth and has served among them ever since. The first to recognize Aida as Princess of Nubia, and the first to tell the other Nubian slaves about it with hopes that she can set them free. |
| Zoser |
Chief Minister of Egypt and father of Radames. He highly anticipates his son's succession to the Egyptian throne and does all he can to make it arrive sooner, including poisoning the Pharaoh. |
| Nehebka |
Nubian slave who speaks to Aida as a representative for the Nubian people. |
PharaohPharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
|
Father of Amneris and King of Egypt. One of the arrangers of Amneris and Radames's much-delayed wedding, he is secretly being poisoned by Zoser to speed up Radames's succession to the throne. |
| Amonasro |
Father of Aida and King of Nubia. He is taken into slavery by Egyptians after Aida and Radames have fallen in love, and commands Aida to break all ties she has to the Egyptians. |
Pre-Broadway: Origins, Atlanta and Chicago
Aida was originally conceived for production as an animated musical film by Disney executives, who wanted to do another project with the collaborative team of Sir Elton John & Sir Tim Rice, following the success enjoyed by the animated film
The Lion KingThe Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
. Disney wanted to do another animated feature, and it was John's idea to develop the story directly as a musical. A first reading was presented to Disney executives on April 1, 1996. John also recorded multiple demos of the original songs, which were never released but were widely bootlegged. Early readings featured Simone(Aida) Hank Stratton(Radames)and Sherrie Rene Scott(Amneris). It took 2 1/2 years from first reading, to first full production presentation in September 1998 in Atlanta. One of the many issues was what to call the musical.
Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida had its world premiere at the
Alliance TheatreThe Alliance Theatre is a theater company in Atlanta, Georgia based at the Alliance Theatre, part of the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center and is the winner of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The company, originally the Atlanta Municipal Theatre, staged its first production at the Alliance in...
in
Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
with the production running from September 16 to November 8, 1998. The Atlanta production featured
Heather HeadleyHeather Headley is a Trinidadian-American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She has won one Tony Award and one Grammy Award.-Personal life:...
(Aida), Hank Stratton (Radames) and
Sherie Rene ScottSherie Rene Scott is an American actress, singer and writer. She is a co-founder of Grammy winning Sh-K-Boom Records and Ghostlight Records and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway musicals and plays appears on numerous solo and original cast recordings.-Life and career:Scott was...
(Amneris). The production featured several songs which were cut from the final production. The original Atlanta staging conceived of the play with a nearly empty set, displaying only a six-ton gold pyramid-shaped set piece in the center. Driven by hydraulic controls, the pyramid's sides and bottom could be turned and rotated to suggest various locations such as a ship stern or a tomb. However, the piece, constructed at a price of nearly $10 million, frequently broke down, and a new production designer was hired for restaging in Chicago. Nothing of the original Atlanta set design remained in the new production.
A new, revised production opened on November 12, 1999 at the Cadillac Palace in
ChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and ran through January 9, 2000. Aida producers made substantial changes to its team for the Chicago production. From the Atlanta staging, only Heather Headley, as Aida, and Sherie Rene Scott, as Amneris, remained.
Adam PascalAdam Pascal is an American actor and singer known for his performance as Roger Davis in the original cast of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent on Broadway 1996, the 2005 movie version of the musical, and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009...
joined the cast as Radames for the Chicago run.
Robert FallsRobert Falls is an American theater director and the current Artistic Director of the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.-Early years:Falls was born in Ashland, Illinois to Arthur Joseph Falls and Nancy Stribling...
took over as director in Chicago, replacing Robert Jess Ross; and set designer
Bob CrowleyBob Crowley is a theatre director, scenic and costume designer.Born in Cork, Ireland, he is the brother of director John Crowley...
replaced Stanley A. Meyer. Also part of the new Chicago team was choreographer
Wayne CilentoWayne Louis Cilento is an American dancer and choreographer. He is best known for originating the role of "Mike" in the Broadway show A Chorus Line, and later becoming one of Broadway's most prolific choreographers.-Early life:...
. The Chicago production featured one number "Our Nation Holds Sway", originally performed near the beginning of both act 1 and act 2, which was cut from the final Broadway production.
During the Chicago run at the Cadillac Theatre, on November 13, 1999, a set mishap during the final moments of the performance injured stars Headley and Pascal. According to an eyewitness report, while the two actors were being conveyed in a suspended boxlike "tomb" at the climax of the show, the set piece broke from its support and plunged approximately eight feet to the stage. A subsequent press release from the show's publicist stated that Headley and Pascal sustained minor injuries and were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for examination. Both were released from the hospital a few hours later. From then on, the tomb remained on the ground.
Broadway
The musical, now titled
Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, premiered on
BroadwayBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the
Palace TheatreThe Palace Theatre is a Broadway theatre located at 1564 Broadway in midtown-Manhattan.-History:Designed by architects Kirchoff & Rose, the theatre was built by Martin Beck a California vaudeville entrepreneur and Broadway impresario. The project experienced a number of business problems before...
on March 23, 2000 and closed on September 4, 2004 after 1,852 performances and 30 previews. The run ranks it as 34th in the longest runs in Broadway history. Directed by Robert Falls, and choreographed by Wayne Cilento, scenery and costumes were designed by Bob Crowley and the lighting design by
Natasha KatzNatasha Katz is a lighting designer for the theatre, dance, and opera. She was educated at Oberlin College and did an internship with Roger Morgan....
. Considered by its producers to be a financial success,
Aida on Broadway recovered its investment in 99 weeks, and generated a profit of $12 million.
Heather Headley originated the title role of Aida. Headley won the
Tony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
for Best Actress in a Musical in 2000 for her performance in this role. Headley also received broad critical acclaim for her performance. Adam Pascal played the role of Radames in both the OBC and closing productions of
Aida on Broadway. Sherie René Scott, who was with the project since its first workshop, originated the role of Amneris, and was named the Most Promising Actress in 2000 for her performance (Clarence Derwent Award). The cast also included
Tyrees AllenTyrees Allen is an American actor. He is best known for recurring parts as Gordon Dean on Alias, The Practice and Close to Home.He also starred in the Original Broadway Cast of Aida as Amonasro.-External links:...
(Amonasro), John Hickok (Zoser), Daniel Oreskes (Pharaoh),
Damian PerkinsDamian Perkins is a singer, actor, dancer, artist and model. He played Mereb in the original Broadway cast of the Broadway musical Aida and also played the role of Benny in the Canadian tour of the musical Rent...
(Mereb), and Schele Williams (Nehebka).
Pop stars, including
Deborah CoxDeborah Cox is a Canadian R&B singer-songwriter and actress. Her 1998 song "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here" held the record for longest-running number one single on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart , a record held for nearly eight years. She has achieved ten number-one hits on...
,
Toni BraxtonToni Michelle Braxton is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and five Billboard Music Awards and has sold over 60 million records worldwide...
and
Michelle WilliamsTenitra Michelle Williams , commonly known as Michelle Williams, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress...
played the title role of Aida during its run on Broadway, as well as Maya Days, Saycon Sengbloh, Simone and Merle Dandridge. Notable replacements for Radames included
Will ChaseWill Chase is an American actor and singer, best known for his work in Broadway musicals.Chase was born in Frankfort, Kentucky to Jerry and Betty Chase and is the youngest of three boys...
,
Patrick CassidyPatrick Cassidy may refer to: * Patrick Cassidy , Irish classical composer of movie soundtracks* Patrick Cassidy , U.S. actor in musical theatre and television...
, Richard H. Blake, William Robert Gaynor, and Matt Bogart. Notable replacements for Amneris included
Idina MenzelIdina Kim Menzel is an American actress, singer and songwriter. She is widely known for originating the roles of Maureen in Rent and Elphaba in Wicked.-Early life:...
, Jessica Hendy, Mandy Gonzalez, Felicia Finley,
Taylor DayneTaylor Dayne was born Leslie Wunderman on March 7, 1962 before later adopting her current stage name. She is an American pop vocalist, songwriter, and dance artist. Overall, she has had eighteen individual hit songs reach the top ten in Billboard magazine...
and
Lisa BresciaLisa Brescia, born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is an American musical theatre actress who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lisa went on to pursue acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts...
; and Mickey Dolenz and Donnie Kehr as Zoser.
US National tours
Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida also had a critically acclaimed US National tour from March 2001 to 2003. The show won awards in 2002 for Best Musical, Best Actress (Simone), and Best Actor(Patrick Cassidy) from the National Broadway Theatre Awards (now called "Touring Broadway Awards". The National tour also featured Kelly Fournier(Amneris). Notable replacements included Jeremy Kushnier(Radames) and Lisa Brescia (Amneris).
The musical also had a non-equity US national tour during 2006-2007 featuring Marja Harmon (Aida) Casey Elliott (Radames) and Leah Allers (Amneris). This production had a revised script by Henry David Hwang authorized by Disney. The new script was considered to be more serious and darker, with much of the shticky and comedic elements removed from Amneris' character especially. 'Strongest Suit' was staged as a scene in which Aida helped Amneris chose her outfit for the evening instead of a random fashion show. The scene prior to 'Strongest Suit Reprise' was revised with Aida teaching Amneris how to thread, adding more a sense of bond between the women and also humbling Amneris in wanting to learn something new and not just 'be a princess.' Introduced to the plot was the revelation that Radames' mother was a prostitute and that Zoser treated her as such and fought and schemed for Radames to achieve his position of Captain of Phaoroh's armies.
US regional and local theatre
Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida has also been performed by numerous professional Regional Theatre companies, including: Barn Theatre (2004),
North Shore Music TheatreNorth Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States.-History:...
,
Beverly, MassachusettsBeverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
(2004 featuring
Montego GloverMontego Glover is an American stage actress and singer. She has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the musical Memphis and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.-Biography:...
as Aida), Music Theatre Of Wichita,
Wichita, KansasWichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
(2005 also featuring Montego Glover as Aida), Gateway Playhouse,
Bellport, New YorkBellport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 2,363 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the Bell family, early settlers of the area. The public education system in Bellport makes up the South Country Central School District consisting of six...
(2005), and Bailiwick Chicago (2010).
Aida played at Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago (March–May 2011).
Aida is also playing a return production in Osaka Japan from March 11, 2011 presented by the Shiki Theatre company. There are over a dozen productions of
Aida scheduled to be performed by various theatre companies, colleges and high schools in the US during 2011.
Aida has also become popular among school and community theatre groups.
International productions
The first international production of Aida ran in
Scheveningen,
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. The show ran from March 10, 2001 to March 18, 2003 and was performed in Dutch. There have been also productions of
Aida in
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
,
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
,
JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
,
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
,
UruguayUruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
,
PhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
,
MexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
,
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
,
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
,
ArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
,
EstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
,
HungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
,
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
,
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
,
ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, and
IsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
It has been translated into 14 languages:
GermanGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
,
ItalianItalian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
,
Japaneseis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
,
KoreanKorean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
,
DutchDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
,
SpanishSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
,
EstonianEstonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
,
FrenchFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
,
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Aida has never been staged professionally in London or elsewhere in the UK - the home country of its composer and lyricist - although it has been released for amateur licensing from 2011.
Music analysis
Elton John's music for
Aida is stylistically eclectic. "Another Pyramid" is a modern reggae number; "My Strongest Suit" draws heavily on Motown, "The Gods Love Nubia" draws on gospel. There are numbers, e.g., "Not Me," "Elaborate Lives," "A Step Too Far," "Written in the Stars," that reflect Elton John's pop style. There is also a strong influence of African music, notably in "Dance of the Robe" and "Easy as Life". These styles are used without much attention to historical authenticity; rather, there is a mix of African (mostly West African), Indian and Middle Eastern influences. Probably the nearest stylistic parallel to the work as a whole is to Elton John's
The Lion KingThe Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the original motion picture soundtrack for Walt Disney's 1994, 32nd animated feature The Lion King. It contains songs from the film written by Elton John and Tim Rice, and a score composed by Hans Zimmer. Elton John has a dual role of performer...
, another musical with strong emphasis on ethnically diverse stylistic influences.
Among the songs cut from the production after previews and workshops were two songs that made up the final sequence of the play: a reprise of "Fortune Favors The Brave" entitled "The Two Must Die," and then a final death duet for Aida and Radames, entitled "The Messenger." These songs were replaced with reprises of "Elaborate Lives," "Enchantment Passing Through" and "Every Story Is A Love Story." "The Messenger" can still be heard on Elton John's unreleased (but frequently leaked and bootlegged) demo for the show, as well as on the concept album, performed by Elton John with LuLu.
Musical numbers
Act I
- "Overture"
- "Every Story Is a Love Story" - Amneris
- "Fortune Favors the Brave" - Radames and the Soldiers
- "The Past Is Another Land" - Aida
- "Another Pyramid" - Zoser and the Ministers
- "How I Know You" - Mereb and Aida
- "My Strongest Suit" - Amneris and the Women of the Palace
- "Fortune Favors the Brave (reprise)" - Radames
- "Enchantment Passing Through" - Radames and Aida
- "My Strongest Suit (reprise)" - Amneris and Aida
- "Dance of the Robe" - Aida, Nehebka, Mereb and the Nubians
- "Not Me" - Radames, Aida, Amneris and Mereb
- "Elaborate Lives" - Radames and Aida
- "The Gods Love Nubia" - Aida, Nehebka, Mereb and the Nubians
Act II
- "A Step Too Far" - Amneris, Radames, and Aida
- "Easy as Life" - Aida
- "Like Father, Like Son" - Zoser, Radames, and the Ministers
- "Radames' Letter" - Radames
- "Dance of the Robe (reprise)" - Orchestra
- "How I Know You (reprise)" - Mereb
- "Written in the Stars" - Radames and Aida
- "I Know the Truth" - Amneris
- "Elaborate Lives (reprise)" - Aida and Radames
- "Enchantment Passing Through (reprise)" - Radames and Aida
- "Every Story Is a Love Story (reprise)" - Amneris
Recordings
A number of recordings are available for
Aida:
- 1999 Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida, sometimes known as the "Concept Album", was released in 1999 in advance of the theatrical production, and features Elton performing the music along with a number of pop stars, including Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, Tina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Shania TwainShania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
, Sting, Spice GirlsThe Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
and LeAnn RimesLeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
. It also included Heather Headley and Sherie René Scott, both of whom went on to reprise their roles in the original Broadway production the following year.
- 2000 Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida: Original Broadway Cast Recording was released in 2000, and is a conventional cast recording
A cast recording is a recording of a musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording, as the name implies, features the voices of the show's original cast...
that includes all twenty-one musical numbers from the Broadway incarnation of the show. The OBC cast recording has sold over 500,000 copies and is a certified Gold Album by RIAA.
- 2001 Dutch Cast
- 2003 Mexican Cast
- 2004 Essen, Germany Cast
- 2004 Japanese Cast
- 2004 Dutch Cast
- 2007 Hungarian Cast
Potential Film version
Leontyne PriceMary Violet Leontyne Price is an American soprano. Born and raised in the Deep South, she rose to international acclaim in the 1950s and 1960s, and was one of the first African Americans to become a leading artist at the Metropolitan Opera.One critic characterized Price's voice as "vibrant",...
's original storybook version of the opera had first been acquired by Disney with the intention that it should become an animated film, but it was never made. It was believed for a time that concept art existed for this proposed animated feature. However, the artist of that piece Ben Balistreri has stated that "This was nothing more than a class assignment given out by Frank Terry when I was at Cal Arts back in 1996...Frank brought in a newspaper clipping that Disney and Elton John were going to do an animated musical of Aida and our assignment was to create a line up of the main characters and give them all Disney style sidekicks."
Following the success of the stage version, Disney began planning a major live-action motion picture adaptation. As of 2007,
Beyonce KnowlesBeyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
was to star as the title role, alongside
Christina AguileraChristina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
as Amneris, with a 2010 release date. However, no further reports of the adaptation's production have surfaced since.
Awards and nominations
Tony Awards
- Best Original Musical Score (Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Tim RiceSir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
) (winner)
- Best Actress in a Musical (Heather Headley
Heather Headley is a Trinidadian-American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. She has won one Tony Award and one Grammy Award.-Personal life:...
) (winner)
- Best Scenic Design (Bob Crowley
Bob Crowley is a theatre director, scenic and costume designer.Born in Cork, Ireland, he is the brother of director John Crowley...
) (winner)
- Best Lighting Design (Natasha Katz
Natasha Katz is a lighting designer for the theatre, dance, and opera. She was educated at Oberlin College and did an internship with Roger Morgan....
) (winner)
- Best Costume Design Bob Crowley (nominee)
Drama Desk AwardThe Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
- Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Heather Headley) (winner)
Grammy Awards
- Elton John and Tim Rice's AIDA: Original Broadway Cast Recording Elton John, Tim Rice, Best Musical Show Album (winner)
John Kraaijkamp Musical Awards
- Best Musical (winner)
- Best Performance by a Leading Actress (Antje Monteiro) (nominee)
- Best Performance by a Leading Actor (Bastiaan Ragas)(winner)
- Most Promising Male Talent (Marlon David Henry) (nominee)
- Award for Best Translation (Martine Bijl) (winner)
National Broadway Theatre Awards (now called "
Touring Broadway AwardsThe Touring Broadway Awards recognize outstanding achievement in Broadway plays and musicals that tour North America.Founded in 2000 by the League of American Theatres and Producers, the TBAs celebrate excellence in touring Broadway by honoring artists and productions...
")
- Best Musical (winner)
- Best Score (nominee)
- Best Song in a Musical ("I Know The Truth") (nominee)
- Best Actor in a Musical (Patrick Cassidy) (winner)
- Best Actress in a Musical (Simone) (winner)
- Best Actress in a Musical (Kelli Fournier) (nominee)
- Best Direction (Robert Falls) (winner)
- Best Visual Presentation (Bob Crowley for Scenic Design & Natasha Katz for lighting) (winner)
- Best Costumes (Bob Crowley) (nominee)
Clarence Derwent Award
- Sherie Rene Scott (winner)
Outer Critics Circle Awards
Outstanding Actress In A Musical (Heather Headley) (nominee)
External links