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Ismail commissions "Aida" from Verdi

Reader comment on item: "Cairo and the Age of the Hedonists"

Submitted by Dave Nelson (United States), Nov 24, 2006 at 17:36

Your blog entry titled "Cairo and the Age of the Hedonists" came to me one day after I had listened to Maria Callas and Mario del Monaco in EMI's recording of a 1951 performance of "Aida" in Mexico City. In the text accompanying the CDs, Ulrich Schreiber describes how, in 1869, Ismail Pasha (Khedive of Egypt) commissioned Verdi to write an opera to be performed as part of the celebration of the opening of the Suez Canal and the opening of the new Italian opera house in Cairo. [Ismail chose Verdi over Wagner and Gounod.]

The libretto for "Aida" was based on a story by the French Egyptologist Edouard Mariette and (apparently) had been endorsed by Ismail. The first performance of "Aida' took place in Cairo on 24 December, 1871 and was enthusiastically received. For me, reading Schreiber's history of "Aida" prepared me well for your comments on Trevor Mostyn's "Egypt's Belle Époque: … ."

Although Verdi's music and the libretto based on Mariette's story are distinctly Italian, the premier performance in Cairo featured Arab trumpeters, an indigenous military band and local singers and dancers. A blending of cultures had been achieved. The contrast with the Cairo of today could not be much greater.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (8) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Avenue el-Malika Nazli or شارع الملكة نازلي [112 words]dhimmi no moreMay 25, 2015 16:58223516
Dr. Pipes 'hopes' the pendulum swings both ways [55 words]Charles MartelMay 22, 2015 22:53223482
Remembering Hedonistic Cairo [1600 words]Repatriated in RealityNov 28, 2006 22:5867651
The comment/story by "Repatriated in Reality" is well worth reading [4 words]impressedMay 21, 2015 19:3867651
Hedonistic Cairo [288 words]Maurice PicowNov 25, 2006 11:3067301
Ismail commissions "Aida" from Verdi [204 words]Dave NelsonNov 24, 2006 17:3667218
Publick nakedness in Cairo [135 words]Joaquim RNov 21, 2006 10:3166815
The Lesson is Clear [75 words]Howard GoldenNov 21, 2006 09:1466806

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