AidaAidaA Transformation A Transformation

from Opera to Musicalfrom Opera to Musical

Jessica Carter

Jon Chang

Julie Len

Aaron Meyer

Verdi’s AIDA Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA

Love triangle between Aida, Radames, and Love triangle between Aida, Radames, and AmnerisAmneris

Radames unintentionally betrays his country out Radames unintentionally betrays his country out of love for Aidaof love for Aida

Radames is sentenced to entombmentRadames is sentenced to entombment

Aida secretly hides herself in the grave to die Aida secretly hides herself in the grave to die with Radameswith Radames

OverviewOverview

PlotPlot

Verdi’s OperaVerdi’s Opera TragicTragic SeriousSerious Emphasis on religionEmphasis on religion

Broadway MusicalBroadway Musical RomanticizedRomanticized Light-hearted and Light-hearted and

ComicalComical Written for a larger Written for a larger

audienceaudience

Aida and Radames find each other in a Aida and Radames find each other in a museummuseum

CharactersCharacters

OperaOpera MusicalMusicalAmnerisAmneris Jealous, paranoid, Jealous, paranoid,

obsessiveobsessiveThreatens, tricksThreatens, tricksViolent, villanousViolent, villanous

Slightly sympatheticSlightly sympatheticClothesClothesClueless until endClueless until end

AidaAida More submissiveMore submissiveDoesn’t vocalize Doesn’t vocalize agendaagenda

Independent Independent CourageousCourageous

RadameRadamess

Chosen by gods to Chosen by gods to lead battle against lead battle against EthiopiaEthiopiaPrevents genocidePrevents genocide

Light-heartedLight-heartedAdmires Aida’s Admires Aida’s strengthstrengthPrevents genocidePrevents genocide

Other CharactersOther Characters

Musical’s Twists:Musical’s Twists: Zoser- evil; Zoser- evil;

poisons Pharaoh poisons Pharaoh Mereb -humorMereb -humor Amonasro-not as Amonasro-not as

prominentprominent

OperaOpera Preist-wants to Preist-wants to

execute slavesexecute slaves

MusicMusicOperaOpera traditional classical musictraditional classical music Full orchestra with acoustic instrumentsFull orchestra with acoustic instruments Big chorusBig chorus

MusicalMusical Simple melodies, chords and harmonies Simple melodies, chords and harmonies Rock band, with few orchestral instrumentsRock band, with few orchestral instruments

(3 keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, percussion, (3 keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, percussion, oboe, flute, cello, violin, French horn)oboe, flute, cello, violin, French horn)

The use of electronic instruments and soundsThe use of electronic instruments and sounds Use of reprisesUse of reprises Use of re-occurring themes and motifs in the Use of re-occurring themes and motifs in the

orchestrations by Paul Bogaev and Steve orchestrations by Paul Bogaev and Steve MargoshesMargoshes

Sets and CostumesSets and Costumes OperaOpera

Filmed at an actual production at the Filmed at an actual production at the Metropolitan Opera HouseMetropolitan Opera House

Simple sets and costumes; not many Simple sets and costumes; not many changeschanges

SetsSets

Aida gives the Nubians hope and courage in “Dance of the Robe”

SetsSets

Aida, Radames, and Amneris: The Love Triangle

ConclusionConclusion

Theme of opera: tragic loveTheme of opera: tragic love Theme of musical: fairy-tale loveTheme of musical: fairy-tale love

Transformation:Transformation:Verdi’s opera version of Verdi’s opera version of AidaAida is is transformed by Elton John to a musical transformed by Elton John to a musical made for popular culture, making the made for popular culture, making the story more entertaining and up-lifting.story more entertaining and up-lifting.