Aida: Act I, Prelude

AIDA, with music by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) and a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, is a staple of the operatic repertoire.  The story, set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, tells of tragic love challenged by jealousy and loyalty to country and family.  Commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House, it was premiered there on December 24th, 1871, in a performance conducted by Giovanni Bottesini, although, due to a limited audience, Verdi considered the performance at La Scala in Milan on February 8th, 1872 to be the true premiere. The Prelude (Vorspiel) to the opera begins gently, swells to a powerful peak before returning to the quiet calm of the beginning. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).