playbill vip

"Any production of Aida will depend, on its emotional impact, on this sense of being drawn back ceaselessly into the past, of the conscious and subconcious, of duty's weight on desire, of passion's play on power." Robert Falls, 2004, Original Broadway Director

ACT ONE:

Act One begins with the prolouge in a museum in the present time. As museum goers view the exhibits, the mummified remains of Amneris come to life, taking us back in time. Her story begins in 1100 BC, at a period of Egyptian domination over its neighbor to the south, Nubia (modern day Sudan). Radames, captain of the Egyptian army, has captured a new group of enslaved Nubians. Among them is Aida, progressive princess to the Nubian people. Through his chief minister Zoser and chief steward Mereb,  Radames sends Aida to serve the princess of Egypt, Amneris, as part of a plan to secure his place on the Egyptian throne. Amneris is betrothed to Radames but has her suspicions of who Aida truly is and her motives with Radames. At Pharaoh's banquet the plot is hatched, and in the ensuing chaos, it is Aida that brings clarity for Radames and his destiny. Radames meets Aida at the River Nile, but she confesses that the plight of her people is more important than her own happiness. Amneris notices the changes in Ramades and sends Aida to intervene on her behalf, but Ramades confesses his love for Aida instead. The drums of war interrupt their embrace, for the Nubian king has been captured. For Aida, however, this is not a time of rejoicing, she must find a way to free her own father. 

ACT TWO:

As Aida contemplates her dilemma, she hatches a plan with Mereb and her father, King Amonasro, to get past the guards using an amulet which Radames gave her. When she confesses her true feelings for Radames, her father is outraged. Meanwhile, Radames rejects Zoser's plan for taking the throne and Amneris as his bride. Zoser then plans to kill Aida to keep his plan on track. As Aida's escape plan is hatched, Nehebaka tricks the guards into thinking that she is Aida and is captured. Aida tells Radames the truth. As they meet on the Nile, Aida tells Radames they can never have a life together, and he agrees to let her go, promising an escape during his wedding ceremony to Amneris. During the wedding, Amonasro's escape is discovered, and Radames realizes Aida's betrayal. Aida confesses her love for Radames, but is interrupted by Zoser trying to apprehend Amonasro. Zoser kills Mereb, but Radames cuts Amonasro's boat free, allowing him to escape. As Aida and Ramades appear before Amneris to answer for their crimes, Amneris recognizes their love and sentences them to be buried together. In the tomb, Aida and Ramades promise to always search for each other in the afterlife. The action then returns back to the present day, and in the museum Aida and Ramades recognize each other as Amneris's plan is fulfilled.