Opera Club will screen Verdi’s ‘Aida’ in CH 3

The Opera Club will hold a free screening of Verdi’s “Aida” on Tuesday, March 17, at 2:30 p.m. in the Learning Center of Clubhouse 3. The event is free and all are welcome. Bob Kastanek will introduce the opera.

“Aida” is one of Verdi’s most touching operas. The tragic story focuses on a love triangle composed of an Egyptian King’s daughter, an enslaved Ethiopian princess, and a captain in the Egyptian army during wartime.

In Act 1, the high priest of Egypt tells Radamès, a young warrior, that war with the Ethiopians seems inevitable, and Radamès hopes that he will be chosen as the Egyptian commander. Radamès is in love with slave Aida, who loves him. No one knows that Aida is the Ethiopian princess and that her father, King Amonasro, has invaded Egypt to free her. Egyptian princess Amneris is also in love with Radamès.

In Act 2, Radamès returns from war with the captured Ethiopians, including Amonasro, Aida’s father. Princess Amneris tricks Aida into declaring her love for Radamès and plans revenge against Aida. The Egyptian King declares Radamès as his successor and gives Amneris to Radamès to marry.

In Act 3, Amonasro has been freed and tells Aida to find out the location of the Egyptian army so the Ethiopians can ambush them. Radamès and Aida meet and plan to flee so they can be together in Ethiopia. Radamès accidentally discloses the army’s location to Amonasro.The Egyptian high priest sees Radamès with Amonasro and calls the guards. Radamès helps Aida and Amonasro flee by holding back the guards. He is caught and arrested as a traitor.

In Act 4, Amneris tries to help Radamès but he won’t defend himself to the court. Radamès believes Aida and Amonasro have made it to safety. Radamès is condemned to death as a traitor and taken to a tomb and buried alive inside it to die. In the darkness, Aida is waiting for him and they die together while declaring their love.

The production is in Italian with English subtitles. For more information, contact Margaret Gillon at 562-370-3844 or margaretgi@ yahoo.com. —Margaret Gillon