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A setting like this demands a spectacular opera, so prepare for a performance of huge proportions. A royal love triangle, a war, and the famous 'Triumphal March' with Egyptians en masse will light up the waters of Sydney's magnificent harbour.
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HANDA OPERA ON SYDNEY HARBOUR
In Aida, Verdi masterfully puts the intimate affairs of the heart against the grandeur of the universe: where kingdoms rise and fall and the sands of time grind onwards.
What grander setting could there be for such an opera than Sydney Harbour itself: awash with the light of the city and the Sydney Opera House silhouetted against the setting sun?
Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour has become a huge part of the cultural landscape, combining all of the things Sydney does best: world-class opera, fine dining, sunsets and spectacle on the harbour's edge.
It's a monumental undertaking, with a team of more than 700 people involved in the project before a single note is heard over the harbour.
Aida is the biggest opera we've ever performed on the opera stage. But amid all of the spectacle, the famous 'Triumphal March', battle scenes and ancient temples, there's an emotional heart.
Long after the fireworks have faded from the sky and Amneris sings her quiet, concluding prayer, you'll see the true mastery of this opera: it is at once an historic epic and an utterly relatable human tragedy
THE STORY
A rebellion is brewing on Egypt’s borders, and for both the oppressor and the oppressed, loves and loyalties are about to be tested.
Egypt needs a hero to lead their army, and the High Priest has chosen Radamès. Egypt’s fortunes will turn on his sword, but Radamès has a higher purpose. Through victory in battle, he hopes to win the hand of the beautiful slave girl Aida – handmaiden to the princess Amneris, and secretly, an Ethiopian princess.
Aida is torn between her love for the Egyptian hero and her despair for the country he must march against – her homeland.
And the Princess Amneris, who also desires Radamès, is beginning to have suspicions that her hero might prefer her slave…
As Radamès returns to Egypt in triumph, Aida is greeted with a terrible sight – her father, the King of Ethiopia, is among the slaves.
Just when all seems lost, the King of Egypt deals another blow: promising the triumphant Radamès his daughter Amneris’ hand.
On the banks of the Nile, the lovers arrange to meet one last time.
But the conquered Ethiopian King has a plan to save his country. Aida has to make a devastating choice.
In the darkness, the King’s plan, Aida’s conflicted heart and Radamès’ steadfast love collide in a devastating finale.
OPERA ON SYDNEY HARBOUR, FLEET STEPS,
MRS MACQUARIES POINTMARCH
27 – APRIL 26, 2015
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