Giuseppe Verdi’s opera "AIDA" will mark the final production for the Fort Worth Opera’s 2022-2023 season. This semi-staged production consists of two final performances that will take place on the Van Cliburn Music Hall stage at TCU on April 14 at 7 p.m. and April 16 at 2 p.m. This show will combine live vocals with custom-curated digital art and projections to create an immersive experience for attendees, according to a release.
This over-two-hour concert production will be sung in traditional Italian and include subtitles alongside digital projections to immerse the audience into the experience further. Soprano, Michelle Bradly, will take on the role of AIDA. Bradley was plucked straight from The Metropolitan Opera stage to perform at this acoustically incredible new venue in Fort Worth. Her performance as AIDA earned her great acclaim in Prague and on The Met stage. Additional performers include captivating Verismo Tenor Ben Gulley as Radames, Grammy Award-winning American mezzo-soprano Tichina Vaughn as Amneris, Grammy and Emmy-Award winning baritone Reginald Smith Jr. as Amonasro, Met Opera favorite Morris Robinson as Ramfis, internationally acclaimed bass Kevin Thompson as The King, soprano Adia Evans as the High Priestess, and Nathanial Catasca as the Messenger.
Angela Turner Wilson, general & artistic director of the Fort Worth Opera says this performance will be one of the most remarkable experiences local opera lovers will have a chance to witness.
“The commanding voices that will be on stage, which can fill world-class opera houses, including The Met, combined with the intimate and acoustically-rich venue of the Van Cliburn Music Hall, will produce an unparalleled experience as powerful human sound washes over patrons,” she says. “This iteration of Verdi's grandiose work strips down 'AIDA' to its essence, facilitating a connection with the story's core and captivating attendees with each exquisite note sung by these fiercely talented performers. We're thrilled to share this world-class performance with our community."
The orchestral arrangement will be conducted by award-winning maestro Elaine Rinaldi, founder and director of Orchestra Miami. This production will mark Rinaldi's FWOpera debut and marks a historic first, as she will be the first female conductor in FWOpera's 75-year history. Rinaldi has enjoyed a lengthy and diverse career as a Collaborative Pianist, Vocal Coach, Chorus Master, and Conductor whose work has taken her across the globe.
"Mounting any production of 'AIDA' is formidable and doing so with phenomenal talent is a big accomplishment,” Rinaldi says. “FWOpera is bringing to life this grandest of grand operas with A+ level singers, and I couldn't be more excited to be a part of it. I'm eager to see what we can create together and thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the FWSO, which is one of the top American Orchestras; the whole opportunity feels like a dream.”
Argentinian singer and director Malena Dayen, who will be making her debut with the Fort Worth Opera, will work alongside two collaborators to create this immersive environment. Her collaboration team will consist of Argentinian artist Guadalupe Marín Burgin and Korean video artist Sangmin Chae. Together these collaborators will create digital art and projections in lieu of staging that will pull in the audiences to the performance.
"We are inspired by Verdi's masterpiece considering themes like war versus inner battles, mob mentality, loyalty, sacrifice, and love,” Dayen says. “Combining original artwork with innovative video technologies, we will create projections that interact live with the music and the movement of the performers.”
