Aida Is the May 4, 2019, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida is the May 4, 2019, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast.

Anna Netrebko made her Met Opera role debut as Aida (front), with Anita Rachvelishvili (behind) as rival Amneris, in the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s production of Verdi’s Aida: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Oct. 2, 2018

Nineteenth century Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida is the May 4, 2019, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as number 23 of the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 24 Saturday matinee radio broadcasts.

Verdi composed the opera’s score for an Italian libretto written by Italian librettist, poet and writer Antonio Ghislanzoni (Nov. 25, 1824-July 16, 1893). The inspiration for Ghislanzoni’s libretto is usually attributed to a scenario by French Egyptologist François Auguste Ferdinand Mariette (Feb. 11, 1821-Jan. 19, 1881).

Aida’s world premiere took place Dec. 24, 1871, in Cairo, northeastern Egypt, at Khedivial Opera House, also known as Royal Opera House. The opera house was inaugurated Nov. 1, 1869, as part of celebrations for the Nov. 17, 1869, opening of the Suez Canal as a connecting waterway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.

Aida’s European premiere happened Feb. 8, 1872, at Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Lombardy region, north central Italy. La Scala’s most recent hosting of a Verdi premiere had occurred almost three years earlier, with the opening of La Forza del Destino on Feb. 27, 1869.

Aida’s Metropolitan Opera premiere took place Nov. 12, 1886. The 1886-1887 Met Opera season’s four performances of Aida were sung in German.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season offered 14 performances of Aida. Opening night took place Wednesday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The month’s second performance occurred Saturday, Sept. 29, at 8 p.m.

Five performances were offered in October. The month’s performances took place Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 6, at 1 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m.

Winter performances were offered in January and February. January’s performances, which all began at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, took place Monday, Jan. 7; Friday, Jan. 11; Monday, Jan. 14; Friday, Jan. 18, at 7:30 p.m. February’s lone performance happened Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m.

Two spring performances were offered, both in March. The month’s performances, which began at 7:30 p.m. EST, took place Monday, March 4, and Thursday, March 7.

The estimated run time for the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s Aida is 3 hours 36 minutes. Act I is estimated at 40 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows. Act II is slated for 43 minutes, followed by an intermission of 36 minutes. Act III is estimated at 67 minutes.

Nicola Luisotta conducted the performances in September, October and January. The Italian conductor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Oct. 28, 2006, in the opera company’s 881st performance of Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Nicola Luisotta conducted two additional Verdi operas, Rigoletto and La Traviata.

Plácido Domingo conducted the season’s last three performances of Aida (Feb. 28; March 4, 7). The Spanish baritone/tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Sept. 28, 1968, as Maurizio in the opera company’s 16th performance of Adriana Lecouvreur by Italian composer Francesco Cilea (July 23, 1866-Nov. 20, 1950).

Anna Netrebko appeared in the title role for the season’s first five performances (Sept. 26, 29; Oct. 2, 6, 11). The Russian operatic soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Feb. 14, 2002, as Natasha Rostova in the opera house’s premiere of War and Peace by Soviet composer, conductor and pianist Sergei Prokofiev (April 23, 1891-March 5, 1953). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Anna Netrebko also sang the title role in Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur.

Tamara Wilson appeared in October’s last two performances (Oct. 15, 18) as the conflicted Ethiopian princess. The American operatic soprano reprised her Metropolitan Opera debut role. Her Met Opera debut happened Dec. 26, 2014, in the opera company’s 1,140th performance of Verdi’s Aida.

Sondra Radvanovsky sang the title role for the winter (Jan. 7, 11, 14, 18; Feb. 28) and spring (March 4, 7) performances. The American-Canadian soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Dec. 9, 1996, as Countess Ceprano in the opera house’s 721st performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto. During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Sondra Radvanovsky also sang the title role of Puccini’s Tosca.

Anita Rachvelishvili appeared as Aida’s rival, Egyptian Princess Amneris, in the season’s autumn performances (Sept. 26, 29; Oct. 2, 6, 11, 15, 18). The Georgian operatic mezzo-soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Jan. 5, 2011, as the title role in the opera company’s 970th performance of Carmen by French Romantic Era composer Georges Bizet (Oct. 25, 1838-June 3, 1875). During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Anita Rachvelishvili also performed as Princess of Bouillon in Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur and in the title role in Samson et Dalila by French Romantic Era composer Camille Saint-Saëns (Oct. 9, 1835-Dec. 16, 1921).

Dolora Zajick appeared as Amneris in January’s performances (Jan. 7, 11, 14, 18). The American mezzo-soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Oct. 8, 1988, as Azucena in the opera company’s 515th performance of Verdi’s Il Trovatore.

Olesya Petrova appeared as Amneris for February’s sole performance and for March’s two performances (March 4, 7). The Russian mezzo-soprano’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened March 24, 2014, as Madelon in the opera company’s 180th performance of Andrea Chénier by Italian verismo (“realism”) composer Umberto Giordano (Aug. 28, 1867-Nov. 12, 1948).

Aleksandrs Antonenko appeared as Radamès, captain of the King of Egypt’s Guard, in September’s two performances (Sept. 26, 29), three October performances (Oct. 2, 6, 11), February’s sole performance (Feb. 28) and March’s two performances (March 4, 7). The Latvian tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened March 9, 2009, as the Prince in the opera company’s 16th performance of Rusalka by Czech composer Antonín Leopold Dvořák (Sept. 8, 1841-May 1, 1904). In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Aleksandrs Antonenko also performed the title role in Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila.

Yonghoon Lee appeared as Radamès in October’s last two performances (Oct. 15, 18) and in all January performances (Jan. 7, 11, 14, 18). The South Korean operatic tenor’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Nov. 29, 2010, in the title role in the opera company’s 193rd performance of Verdi’s Don Carlo. During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Yonghoon Lee also performed as Don José in Bizet’s Carmen.

Quinn Kelsey appeared as Aida’s father, Ethiopian King Amonasro, in all September (Sept. 26, 29), October (Oct. 2, 6, 11, 15, 18), February (Feb. 28) and March (March 4, 7) performances. The American baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened March 29, 2008, as Schaunard in the opera company’s 1,194th performance of Puccini’s La Bohème. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Quinn Kelsey also performed as Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata.

Roberto Frontali appeared as Amonasro in all January performances (Jan. 7, 11, 14, 18). The Georgian operatic baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Nov. 14, 1992, as Belcore in the opera company’s 196th performance of L’Elisir d’Amore by Italian bel canto composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848). During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Roberto Frontali also performed the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Dmitry Belosselskiy appeared as Egyptian High Priest Ramfis in September (Sept. 26, 29) and October (Oct. 2, 6, 11, 15, 18) performances. The Ukrainian bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Nov. 5, 2011, as Zaccaria in the opera company’s 54th performance of Verdi’s Nabucco. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Dmitry Belosselskiy also performed as The Old Hebrew in Saint-Saëns’ Samson et Dalila, as Fafner in Das Rheingold and in Siegfried by German composer and librettist Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813-Feb. 13, 1883), and as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Vitalij Kowaljow appeared as Ramfis in all January performances (Jan. 7, 11, 14, 18). The Russian bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut March 17, 2003, as the High Priest in the opera house’s 24th performance of Verdi’s Nabucco. During the 2018-2019 Met Opera season, Vitalij Kowaljow also performed as René in Iolanta by Russian late-Romantic composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (May 7, 1840-Nov. 6, 1893).

Štefan Kocán appeared as Ramfis in February’s sole performance (Feb. 28) and in March’s two performances (March 4, 7). The Slovakian bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 2, 2009, as the King in the opera company’s 1,104th performance of Verdi’s Aida. In the 2018-2019 Met Opera season Štefan Kocán also performed as the Commendatore in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and as Sparafucile in Verdi’s Rigoletto.

Ryan Speedo Green appeared as the King in September (Sept. 26, 29) and October (Oct. 2, 6, 11, 15, 18) performances. The American bass-baritone’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Sept. 26, 2012, as a Mandarin in the opera company’s 287th performance of Puccini’s Turandot.

Soloman Howard appeared as the King in January (Jan. 7, 11, 14, 18), February (Feb. 28) and March (March 4, 7) performances. The American bass opera singer’s Metropolitan Opera debut happened Oct. 30, 2014, as the Second Prisoner in Fidelio by German composer and pianist Ludwig von Beethoven (bapt. Dec. 17, 1770-March 26, 1827).

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of Verdi’s Aida revived staging by Sonja Frisell (Sonja Bettie Frisell-Schröder). The British stage director’s new staging debuted Dec. 8, 1988, in the opera company’s 924th performance of Aida.

Frisell’s production team comprised Gianni Quaranta, set designer; Dada Saligeri, costume designer; Gil Wechsler, lighting designer; and Alexei Ratmansky, choreographer. Stephen Pickover was the production’s revival stage director.

Wagner’s Götterdämmerung aired Saturday, April 27, as the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s 22nd Saturday matinee radio broadcast. Dialogues des Carmélites by French composer Francis Poulenc (Jan. 7, 1899-Jan. 30, 1963) airs May 11, as the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s Saturday matinee broadcast schedule’s closing opera.

Aida aired as the fifth of five Verdi operas on the 2018-2019 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast roster. La Traviata aired Dec. 15, 2018, as the season’s third Saturday matinee broadcast. Otello, airing Jan. 5, 2019, was the season’s sixth Saturday matinee broadcast. Rigoletto aired Feb. 23, 2019, as number 13. Falstaff, airing March 16, 2019, was the 16th Saturday matinee broadcast.

The takeaway for Aida as the May 4, 2019, Metropolitan Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that Verdi’s ancient Egypt-themed opera aired as the fifth of five Verdi operas on the 2018-2019 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast season’s schedule.

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of Verdi’s Aida revive staging debuted Dec. 8, 1988, by British stage director Sonja Frisell: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook June 20, 2015

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Anna Netrebko made her Met Opera role debut as Aida (front), with Anita Rachvelishvili (behind) as rival Amneris, in the 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s production of Verdi’s Aida: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Oct. 2, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10161096922820533/

The 2018-2019 Met Opera season’s performances of Verdi’s Aida revive staging debuted Dec. 8, 1988, by British stage director Sonja Frisell: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook June 20, 2015, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160682963490533/

For further information:

“Debut: Dmitry Belosselskiy.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354136 Nabucco {54} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/05/2011.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354136

"Debut: Dolora Zajick." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:294140 Il Trovatore {515} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/8/1988.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=294140

“Debut: Nicola Luisotti.” MetOpera Database > “Debut: Nicola Luisotti.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351618 Tosca {881} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/28/2006.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351618

“Debut: Olesya Petrova.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355386 Andrea Chénier {180} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/24/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355386

“Debut: Plácido Domingo.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 216130 Adriana Lecouvreur {16} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/28/1968.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=216130

“Debut: Quinn Kelsey.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352451 La Bohème {1194} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/29/2008.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352451

“Debut: Roberto Frontali.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 310550 l’Elisir d’Amore {196} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 11/14/1992.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=310550

“Debut: Soloman Howard.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355599 Aida {1133} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/30/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355599

“Debuts: Alexei Ratmansky, Stefan Kocán, Adam Laurence Herskowitz.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353094 Aida {1104} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/02/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353094

“Debut: Tamara Wilson, Jennifer Cadden.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 355711 Aida {1140} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/26/2014.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=355711

“Debut: Vitalij Kowaljow.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 333501 Nabucco {24} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/17/2003.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=333501

“Debut: Yonghoon Lee, Maxime de Toledo.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353647 Don Carlo {193} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/29/2010.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353647

“Debuts: Alastair Miles, Sondra Radvanovsky, Lee Hamilton.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID:326720 Rigoletto {721} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/9/1996.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=314310

“Debuts: Aleksandrs Antonenko, Brenda Patterson.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352925 Rusalka {16} Metropolitan Opera House: 03/09/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352925

“Debuts: Alexei Ratmansky, Stefan Kocán, Adam Laurence Herskowitz.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353094 Aida {1104} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/02/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353094

“Debuts: Anita Rachvelishvili, Margaret Thompson.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353729 Carmen {970} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/05/2011.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353729

“Debuts: Anna Netrebko . . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] Metropolitan Opera Premiere CID: 350257 War and Peace {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/14/2002.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=350257

“Debuts: Ryan Speedo Green, Oriada Islami Prifti.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354549 Turandot {287} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/26/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354549

Marriner, Derdriu. “Aida Is the April 15, 2017, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, April 10, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/04/aida-is-april-15-2017-metropolitan.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Falstaff Is the March 16, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, March 11, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/03/falstaff-is-march-16-2019-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Götterdämmerung Is the April 27, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, April 22, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/04/gotterdammerung-is-april-27-2019-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “La Traviata Is the Dec. 15, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 10, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/la-traviata-is-dec-15-2018-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Otello Is the Jan. 5, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Dec. 31, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/12/otello-is-jan-5-2019-met-opera-saturday.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Rigoletto Is the Feb. 23, 2019, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Feb. 18, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/02/rigoletto-is-feb-23-2019-met-opera.html

Mesa, Franklin. Opera: An Encyclopedia of World Premieres and Significant Performances, Singers, Composers, Librettists, Arias and Conductors, 1597-2000. Jefferson NC; London, England: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2007.

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Added a new photo.” Facebook. June 20, 2015.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160682963490533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Listen live to tonight’s performance of Verdi’s Aida starring Anna Netrebko and Anita Rachvelishvili . . .” Facebook. Oct. 2, 2018.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10161096922820533/

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Aida.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 5270 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Aida {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/12/1886.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=5270

“New Production: Aida.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 294740 New Production Aida {924} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/8/1988.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=294740