Set against the magnificent backdrop of Lake Constance, every production at the Bregenz Festival faces strong natural competitors. But with this first-ever production of Verdi’s “Aida” (in an abridged version) on the lakeside stage, it is easy to overlook the beauty of the surrounding nature. Stage director Graham Vick and set designer Paul Brown conjure up an “open-air spectacle of superlatives” (Die Zeit) that throws a bridge between ancient Egypt and today’s U.S. The stage effects are stunning: ruins of the Statue of Liberty pieced together with the help of giant cranes, boats carrying priestesses and prisoners – parts of the opera even take place in the lake itself! And in the Grand March – one of the most famous marches in opera – a golden elephant comes sailing into view on a barge¿ Under Carlo Rizzi, the Wiener Symphoniker brilliantly support the chorus and soloists, among whom Iano Tamar (Amneris) and Tatiana Serjan (Aida) stand out. Drawing capacity crowds of over 200,000 spectators in just one season, “Aida” is the festival’s most successful opera to date, even more successful than the “Tosca” production, which has been immortalized in the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace”.
In this production from 2009, stage director Graham Vick and set designer Paul Brown conjure up an “open-air spectacle of superlatives” (Die Zeit). Photos of the stage went to all over the world.
Bregenz Festival´s lakeside stage is known from the James Bond film “Quantum of Solace”
Aida is Bregenz Festival´s most successful opera ever!
“Bregenz Festival opens with visually stunning Aida” Agence France-Presse, Paris
“... you sit open-mouthed, enthralled and overwhelmed by the force of the massive operatic images coming together before your eyes.” Die Welt
“Everything is impressive and the singers are all fantastic.” Ö1 - ORF, Vienna
Running Time 135 minutes
Picture 16:9, color
Sound PCM Stereo, DD 5.1
Subtitles Italian (original language), English, French, Spanish, German
Packaging Amaray DVD
Booklet English, German, French
Artists
Tatiana Serjan (Aida), Rubens Pelizzari (Radames), Iain Paterson (Amonasro), Iano Tamar (Amneris), Kevin Short (Re), Tigran Martirossian (Ramfis), Ronald Samm (Messaggero), Elisabetta Martorana (Sacerdotessa)
Vienna Symphonic Orchestra, The Katowice City Singers’ Ensemble– Camerata Silesia, Polish Radio Choir Krakow & Bregenz Festival Chorus, Carlo Rizzi (conductor) & Graham Vick (stage director)
