Verdi’s Aida, In Performance at La Scala 2006 (Blu-ray, 2008)
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Starring: Roberto Alagna, Marco Spotti, Ildiko Komlosi, Violetta Urmana, Georgio Giuseppini, Carlo Guelfi, Antonello Ceron, Sae Kyung Kamara
Conducted by: Riccardo Chailly, with the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala
Studio: Decca/Universal 074 3300
Video: 1.78:1 widescreen for 16:9 1080p HD
Audio: DTS HD Master Audio 5.1, PCM Stereo
Extras: None
Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese
Feature Length: 158 minutes
Rating: ****
This performance dates from December 7, 2006, which has a great deal of significance for the city of Milan and the Teatro alla Scala. The date marks the feast of Saint Ambrose, the patron saint of Milan, and also marks the opening of the season for La Scala, which was particularly noteworthy in 2006 when Franco Zeffirelli announced that he’d be directing Verdi’s Aida there. This marked Zeffirelli’s first appearance at La Scala in over twenty years, an event which was preceded by a great deal of anticipation. Giuseppe Verdi was essentially La Scala’s house composer, and his Aida represents the very pinnacle of Italian opera spectacle. Aida hadn’t been staged at La Scala in twenty years, and Zeffirelli and company obviously spared no expense with the extravagant and opulent sets and costuming employed throughout this lavish production. Of course, Franco Zeffirelli’s involvement guarantees an over-the-top experience.
The action takes place in Egypt, which is being threatened by forces from Ethiopia. The young captain Ramades (sung by Roberto Alagna) has been chosen to lead Egypt’s army against the Ethiopians. Ramades is quite smitten with Aida (sung by Violetta Urmana), the Ethiopian handmaiden of the Pharaoh’s daughter, Amneris (sung by Ildiko Komlosi), who also is secretly in love with Ramades. Ramades intends to ask the Pharaoh for Aida’s hand in marriage; it is soon revealed that Aida is actually the daughter of the king of Ethiopia, and she’s torn for her love for Ramades and her loyalty to her country. Amneris suspects Aida’s love for Ramades, and when he returns after conquering the Ethiopians, she demands that Aida accompany her to the triumphal celebration as her slave. Ramades requests that the Ethiopian slaves be released, but is disappointed when the Pharaoh (sung by Marco Spotti) rejects his request, and offers Ramades Ameris’ hand in marriage and succession to the throne of Egypt. Ramades and Aida concoct a scheme to escape, but their plan is foiled and Ramades is accused of treason. Aida, however, escapes. Amneris, still in love with Ramades, tries to intercede, but to no avail and Ramades is sentenced to death. He is placed inside the Vulcan’s temple, and is the walls are sealed to insure his death. There he discovers Aida, who has stolen back into the temple, so that she might die with her lover.
This production of Aida is indeed a spectacle to behold, and obviously no expense was spared in staging the opera, especially unusual in an era where seemingly bare-bones productions have increasingly become the norm. The singing is magnificent throughout; Roberto Alagna is superb as Ramades, and the entire cast gives bravura performances. My only real complaint revolves around what was obviously a visually stylistic choice for Zeffirelli; there are frequent segues between the action where the camera focuses on an icon or decorative element of a costume which fills the entire screen. I could understand this between scenes or acts, but as often as it occurs within each scene, it really serves to hinder the continuity of the action. It may be visually striking, but I find it tremendously distracting.
Technically, the disc is little short of magnificent, with incredibly crisp and detailed visuals with superb contrast and color representation. The audio content is also spectacular; I did most of my listening to the DTS HD Master Audio track, and it offered an excellent sense of envelopment, with the surrounds helping to create a superb illusion of the acoustic of the Teatro alla Scala. Riccardo Chailly conducts the music with aplomb aplenty; he obviously knows this music intimately. And while I personally like to at least get occasional glances at the conductor and his orchestra at work, very few were offered here; at least the playing is beyond reproach, even if Zeffirelli chooses not to let us see the players. Oh well, in terms of the overall presentation, you’d be hard pressed to find a better looking, more opulently staged or well sung video version of Verdi’s masterpiece. Very highly recommended!
— Tom Gibbs
