Aïda 1999Scottish Opera
Read more about the opera Aïda
Scottish Opera’s second staging of Aïda offered a radical rethinking by Antony McDonald.
Such a dramatic presentation, with the triumph scene featuring a picnic complete with plastic containers of sandwiches, was bound to provoke strong reaction. The war trophies consisted of sections of car. The Nile appeared as a garish neon strip meandering across the stage in Act 3.
Distracting too were the limitations of the performers in the two lead roles. Neither singer seemed able to sing softly, and rather than adjust to a smaller auditorium, blasted out their notes in a style that would have deafened audiences at the Verona Arena or Baths of Caracalla. By contrast, Amneris received an excellent performance from Rosalind Plowright, in her company debut, launching a successful new phase of her career by singing a mezzo role after several successful years as a soprano. Sadly, she didn't return to the company, becoming a regular at Covent Garden and other major houses. Vladimir Redkin, of the Bolshoi, was by now a familiar and welcome visitor, and an excellent Verdi stylist. But this was also his final visit here.
Fortunately, the orchestra and chorus produced some lovely sounds under the direction of Emmanuel Joël, returning to the company for something completely different from his previous Offenbach.
