After Aida - Comedy & Arias About the Retirement that Wasn’t

Published by: Margot Gorski | 27-Apr-2022
It’s 1879 and Giuseppe Verdi, Italy’s most beloved composer has not written an opera for nearly a decade. What is to be done?
Venue: Athenaeum Two
Address: 188 Collins St, Melbourne
Date: 20 - 22nd May 2022
Time: Friday 20 and Saturday 21 May at 7.00pm and Sunday 22 May at 2.00pm
Ticket: $42 concession, $55 full price
Buy / Ticket: https://www.pureharmonymusic.com.au/events-1
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In 1879 Verdi’s closest associates, publisher Giulio Ricordi and conductor, Franco Faccio were determined to get the maestro working again. With the aid of Verdi’s wife Giuseppina, they conspire to team him with the brilliant operatic wordsmith Arrigo Boito, and the greatest tragic opera ever written, “Otello” is conceived.

But trouble is looming. Boito hasn’t always had nice things to say about Verdi. And at 66 years of age, the man himself isn’t sure he can cut it anymore.

After Aida is a play-with-music by English writer, Julian Mitchell. This witty, behind-the-scenes comedy focuses on a major turning point in Verdi’s life when he attempted to retire from composing. Humour and drama are underscored with arias and vocal ensembles from Aida, Rigoletto, Ernani, the Requiem, Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra and Otello, as well as Boito’s Mefistofele and Rossini’s Otello.

Directed by David Meadows, with musical direction by Adrian Tamburni, After Aida stars Tref Gare as Verdi, Adam T Perkins as Boito and Francesca Waters as Giuseppina Verdi. The cast also includes Paolo Bartolomei as Ricordi and Andrew Cullimore as Faccio. The musical line-up includes soprano Michelle Cook, mezzo soprano Sarah Sweeting, tenor Michael Lapina and bass baritone Eddie Muliaumaseali’i.

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