
AIDA • June 19, 2021 | Arena di Verona
Verona is world famous for the Opera Festival in the Arena di Verona, which attracts millions of music lovers every summer. The Arena di Verona is the world’s largest open-air opera theatre with space for up to 22,000 spectators on the steps of the 45 rows of seats.
Verona is a city of music and opera, especially in summer. The Three Tenors Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Josè Carreras were regulars in Verona. The Verona Festival started in 1913 with the performance of Aida on the occasion of Giuseppe Verdi’s 100th birthday. Opera lovers around the world dream of watching an opera on the marble steps of one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world. A dream that you should experience at least once in your life. Not only operas are performed in the Arena di Verona, pop singers such as Elton John, Bob Dylan, Zucchero and Sting also gave concerts here.
Verona is a World Heritage Site for its urban structure and architecture. The historic city center is beautiful and can be explored on foot. It is like an open archeological site in-between the many beautiful Renaissance palaces. And yes, it is famous for the setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. Above all the beautiful sites is the Arena, a huge Roman amphitheater from the first century. The daily mean temperature between June and early September is 21C to 23C. This is perfect for an outdoor performance in the Arena. There are famous operas, concerts and ballet performances to chose from.
Every year we create exclusive music trips to Italy for friends of opera and ballet. Operas of the leading Italian composers Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini are favourite in the Arena. Enjoy the extraordinary atmosphere at the Roman amphitheatre in the heart of Verona in the summer months under the open sky. Please make your travel plans early and select a performance of interest. Because, if there are less than two months to go, the best tickets might be sold out, the hotels might have increased prices and things may become difficult. With our music tours you get the best seats, on upholstered chairs, together with a nice stay program in Verona.
Gala AIDA – Arena di Verona Opera Festival 2021
150° Anniversary 1871 AIDA 2021 – Giuseppe Verdi
Concert version
Giuseppe Verdi composed the opera based on a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. The premiere took place on December 24, 1871, in the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo. In 2021 this event will be celebrated 150 times.
The setting is Egypt in the time of the pharaohs and it is about the king’s daughter of Ethiopia.
The Egyptian general Radames is supposed to marry Pharaoh’s daughter but loves Aida, who was kidnapped to Egypt. The drama takes its course.
Conductor • Riccardo Muti
Chorus Master • Vito Lombardi
Orchestra and Chorus of the Arena di Verona
Cast
The King • Roberto Tagliavini
Amneris • Anita Rachvelishvili
Aida • Sonya Yoncheva
Radamès • Francesco Meli
Ramfis • Riccardo Zanellato
Amonasro • Luca Salsi
A messenger • Riccardo Rados
High Priestess • Benedetta Torre
Running time: 2:30h
In case of cancellation of the performance, due to bad weather conditions, the gala concert will take place on June 20th (instead of June 19th) and 23rd (instead of 22nd) 2021
Giuseppe Verdi – 150° Anniversary 1871 – Gala Aida – opera in concert version
Travel Description
Essential Music Trip
- Gold category tickets for comfortable chairs (see chart)
- 2 nights accommodation with breakfast, shared double room
Program day by day
Day 1
- Arrival at the hotel
- Overnight
Day 2
- Breakfast
- Leisure time
- Arena Verona performance, premium tickets
- Overnight
Day 3
- Breakfast
- Departure and end of the program