Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5/5
Audiobook1 hour
Aida
Written by Thomson Smillie
Narrated by David Timson
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Ancient Egypt and the war with Ethiopia is the setting for Verdi’s grandest opera. It is the story of the love between Rhadames, the Egyptian general and Aida, an Ethiopian slave, and the jealousy of Amneris, daughter of the King of Egypt. It was written in 1871 to a commission from the Khedive of Egypt to inaugurate the new opera house in Cairo. Aida generally is considered one of the most spectacular of Verdi’s operas. But Thomson Smillie, in his fascinating introduction to the work, presented by actor David Timson, says it is, more accurately ‘a chamber opera with a grand march through the middle of it’. The historic background – how and why it came to be composed – is clearly explained. This is followed by the plot, the characters, and the principal arias and musical moments – a perfect way of getting to know the work.
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Reviews for Aida
Rating: 4.428571428571429 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
7 ratings1 review
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Possibly the best entry in the Opera Explained series written by Thomson Smillie.
The historical background is succinct and relevant, providing important context for the story without straying into filler and trivialities. There are a couple issues with the sound (I had to turn up the volume to hear Aida's leitmotif, and another excerpt in Act Three seemed a bit loud, for example), but it seems to be more an issue of volume than fidelity.
My favorite part of this audiobook was how it avoids spoiling the plot in the early chapters. (Quite unlike some of the other books written by this author, which give away the ending before they've even finished discussing the overture.) It's the perfect way to experience the story of Aida in a condensed but suspenseful format.1 person found this helpful