From July 30 to September 10, 2026, the "queen" of the Arena di Verona, Aida, the masterpiece by Giuseppe Verdi about the Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt, will be staged with 7 performances, presented in the golden and dreamlike version imagined by Franco Zeffirelli and enriched by the iconic costumes of Anna Anni.
Composed in 1869 for the inauguration of the Suez Canal, Giuseppe Verdi's Aida narrates the love affairs of the young Aida, daughter of the king of Ethiopia but made a slave following Amneris, daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt. In love (and reciprocated) with the valiant Radamès, who is betrothed to Amneris, Aida will follow him until his tragic death, demonstrating love and loyalty.
The world premiere took place at the Cairo Opera House in Egypt on December 24, 1871, conducted by Giovanni Bottesini. The Italian premiere and thereby the European premiere was performed on February 8, 1872, at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.
