‘Aida’ Review: An Intimate Rendition of an Opera Classic

Late in the afternoon on Nov. 10, lights began to dim as a packed audience eagerly waited at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. The Boston Lyric Opera’s staging of the classic opera “Aida,” with music by Giuseppe Verdi and an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, was a constricted yet intimate performance that shined a spotlight on its strong cast.

The rendition was organized as part of the Opera Gala, a fundraiser honoring philanthropic, artistic, community and humanities leaders. As it was the first time in four years since Feb. 2020 that the event took place, the anticipation among the audience and the performers was palpable.

Among the honorees was one of the “Aida” cast members, Morris Robinson — a renowned bass opera singer who returned to the opera that had launched his international career 25 years later.

“Aida” follows the epic love story between the titular character (Michelle Johnson), an Ethiopian princess captured and enslaved by Egyptians, and Radamès (Diego Torre), an Egyptian military commander. Because of his role, bestowed on him by the King of Egypt (Stefan Egerstrom) and the high priest (Morris Robinson), Radamès is forced to choose between his affections toward Aida and his loyalty to his country. The tragic tale is further complicated by the King’s daughter, Amneris (Alice Chung), who harbors unrequited love for Radamès, and an impending war between the two countries.

While classic renditions of “Aida” are known for their grand staging and large-scale productions, the BLO chose to present the opera in a concert-style format. Without set design or costumes, all attention was placed upon the cast and the orchestra.

At first, one might think that a restricted staging couldn’t live up to the expectations of such an imposing piece of the classical operatic repertoire. Yet the cast and chorus rose to the occasion and carried the production to a triumphant finish.

Torre began the night strong with a powerful delivery of “Celeste Aida.” The romantic aria highlighted the contrast between Radamès’s hidden love and his unyielding sense of devotion to his people, placing the hero as a center point of the night.

Johnson flowed with ease as the titular princess — almost too effortlessly, considering the role’s emotional charge. Still, she particularly shined in the second half of the opera, raising the stakes of the performance. Aida’s moving aria, “O patria mia,” followed by the duet with her father, the King of Ethiopia (Brian Major) in the third act, properly highlighted the conflicting emotions of a homesick yet lovestruck princess.

At the same time, Chung held the cast together as the determined Egyptian princess Amneris. Swaying between her love for the hero Radamès and her hatred for her rival Aida, Chung added much-need psychological depth to Amneris, demanding recognition of her personal heartbreak even against the backdrop of an ongoing war. Her chilling aria in the last act, “Ohimè! Morir mi sento!,” powerfully lamented both the fate of a tragic hero and a dying love.

Many would argue that the most well-known piece in “Aida” is the triumphal march, played in the second act as Radamès returns with the Egyptians from a successful win over the Ethiopians. Though the piece is traditionally accompanied by numerous dancers, the BLO substituted them with shifting lighting and a panoramic procession of animals along the back of the theatre.

A strong chorus comprising Boston’s choral community, including the Back Bay Chorale, further supplemented the effect and created an imposing atmosphere, apt for the musical grandness of “Aida.”

While the performances carried the night forward, the production struggled in one aspect: the staging of the orchestra, which was placed awkwardly on the stage and sandwiched between the performers in the front and the chorus at the back rather than at the theater’s pit.

Though David Angus’s conducting held the musicians together, there was a slight dissonance between the cast and chorus’s voices and the instrumental melodies coming from the middle. Still, the orchestra shone during the big moments of each act, proving to be a successful backbone.

With a dedicated cast and tight-knit production, the Boston Lyric Opera’s “Aida” was a wonderful staging of a renowned classic. Throughout the performance, it was easy to feel the passion flowing from everyone on the stage — perhaps the greatest victory of the night.

—Staff writer Erlisa Demneri can be reached at erlisa.demneri@thecrimson.com.