LAST WEEKEND I SAW THIS MOVIE THAT WAS A GREAT OPERA FILMED IN ITALY. THE PERFORMERS SUNG IN ITALIAN AND THEY HAD BEAUTIFUL STAGE SETTINGS AND COSTUMES. THERE WERE OVER 300 SINGERS AND DANCERS WHO MADE THIS PRODUCTION MAGICAL. IT WAS ORIGINALLY PREMIERED IN 1871. IT HAD FOUR ACTS. DURING THE FIRST ACT THE PRIEST ANNOUNCED THAT THE ETHIOPIANS WERE REVOLTING AGAINST EGYPT. RADAMES, THE CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD HOPES HE WILL BE CHOSEN TO LEAD THE EGYPTIAN FORCES AND CLAIM AIDA - A SLAVE AND THE ETHIOPIAN KING'S DAUGHTER. AIDA IS FEARFUL OF HER FATHER. RADAMES DOES LEAD THE CHARGE AGAINST THE ETHIOPIANS, AIDA AND AMNERIS - ANOTHER WOMEN WHO LIKES RADAMES - BLESS HIS JOURNEY.
ACT II - THE ETHIOPIANS ARE DEFEATED. AMNERIS TRICKS HER SLAVE AIDA TO REVEAL HER LOVE FOR RADAMES, MAKING THE PRINCESS JEALOUS. RADAMES COMES BACK TO THEBES WITH A PROCESSION OF NEWLY CAPTURED PRISONERS., INCLUDING AIDA'S FATHER - KING AMONSASRO. HE MAKES A PLEA ON BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE WHICH IMPRESSES RADAMES. HE REQUESTS THAT THE PRISONERS NOT BE PUT TO DEATH. THE KING GRANTS HIS WISH AND GIVES PRINCESS AMNERIS' HAND IN MARRIAGE.
ACT III - AT NIGHT PRINCESS AMNERIS AND THE PRIEST PREPARE FOR HER WEDDING TO RADAMES. AMONOASTRO ASKES HIS DAUGHTER TO LEARN ABOUT RADAMES PLANS AGAINST THE ETHIOPIANS. AS SHE OBTAINS THIS INFORMATION, PRINCESS AMNERIS AND RAMFIS APPEAR THEY HEAR OF HIS PLANS FOR TREASON. RADAMES IS TAKEN PRISONER BY THE GUARDS AS AIDA ESCAPES WITH HER FATHER.
ACT IV - RADAMES IS ON TRIAL FOR TREASON AND HIS LIFE IS AT STAKE. THE PRINCESS OFFERS HIM A BARGAIN: IF HE WILL RENOUNCE AIDA AND ACCEPT HER LOVE HE WILL BE FREE. HE REFUSES. HE THEN IS SENTENCED TO BE BURIED ALIVE IN A VAULT UNDER THE TEMPLE. AMNERIS IS HORRIFIED. AIDA JOINS RADAMES VOLUNTARILY IN THE TOMB, SHARING HIS FATE.
CHRISTINA LITTLE
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