In the 2024 season, "Aida", a masterpiece by Giuseppe Verdi, is on the repertoire of the Opera in the Quarry. Verdi's timeless opera classic was last performed in St. Margarethen in 2014. Under the direction of Thaddeus Strassberger and with costumes by Giuseppe Palella - both of whom already worked on "Turandot" at the opera in the quarry in 2021 - the opera returns to one of the most spectacular open-air stages in Europe.
In 2021, the successful duo Thaddeus Strassberger and Giuseppe Palella conjured up Asian flair in the St. Margarethen quarry. In 2024, however, the director and his international leading team invite the audience to travel back in time to the Egypt of the pharaohs to take part in the dramatic love story between the servant Aida and the captain Radames. In addition to a spectacular stage design by Thaddeus Strassberger, opera-goers can look forward to Giuseppe Palella's magnificent costume creations again next year. The Italian-born artist won the prestigious Abbiati Prize for "Best Costume Designer" in 2019 and was recently named "Costume Designer of the Year 2023" by Opernwelt magazine. His unique and detailed costumes always harmonize with the stage design.
Costume sketch Aida © Giuseppe Palella
Lighting designer Driscoll Otto was recruited for the lighting and lighting effects. Media Apparat's projections have already been seen on the stage set in four productions, most recently in "Turandot" in 2021. This time, the media artists will use their visual content to project ancient Egypt onto the open-air stage. A team of stunt performers under the direction of Ran Arthur Braun, who is responsible for the spectacular stunt effects for the third season in a row, will once again provide breathtaking scenes with full physical exertion. The CRYSTAL company is responsible for the unique water effects.
Aida - a secret and impossible love story
Egypt in the time of the pharaohs. The love of the Egyptian army commander Radames for the Ethiopian slave Aida is threatened from the outset by the war that is about to break out between their two countries. The other threat comes from the king's daughter Amneris, who is also in love with Radames. By a twist of fate, Aida is her slave and rival. The Egyptian troops are victorious and the triumph of Radames is celebrated, with the pharaoh offering him his daughter's hand in marriage as a reward. The glorious hero soon becomes a traitor to his country as he reveals military secrets to Aida, the daughter of the Nubian king Amonasro. Radames resigns himself to his fate and awaits his death, walled up alive, although Amneris tries everything to save her beloved. In the darkness of the tomb, Radames finds Aida, who reaffirms her love for him and together they bid farewell to the earth and to life.
AIDA 2024 in the St. Margarethen Roman quarry
The last time "Aida" was staged at the St. Margarethen quarry was in 2014. Next year's new production will be the 25th opera production at this extraordinary venue.
"The entire leading team and I are delighted to be bringing Verdi's masterpiece 'Aida' to the stage of the opera in the quarry after exactly ten years. 'Aida' represents the musical pinnacle of Giuseppe Verdi's oeuvre. In this masterpiece, Verdi combines grand Italian opera with heroic, pompous marches and intimate moments of chamber music for the first time in a unique African-exotic sound palette. The libretto is based on the stories of the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette and takes us into a fascinating, martial, mystical and passionate world at the time of the pharaohs in ancient Egypt. I am delighted to be able to present this breathtaking operatic spectacle to our audience in a new production," says Daniel Serafin, artistic director of Oper im Steinbruch.
Stefan Ottrubay, Chairman of the Esterhazy Private Foundation, is also delighted about the revival of "Aida" for the coming season: "The venue has become a stage of international renown in recent years. This is confirmed not only by the high capacity utilization each year, but also by the range of renowned artists that we are able to attract to this unique location every year. I am confident that the return of one of the greatest works of opera literature to the most beautiful open-air stage in Europe will once again be a great success."
Musical direction and top international ensemble
Iván López-Reynoso will conduct the opera "Aida". He studied violin with Gellya Dubrova, piano with Maestro Alexander Pashkov, choral conducting with Maestro Jorge Medina and graduated with honors in orchestral conducting with Maestro Gonzalo Romeu. Next summer, the young, up-and-coming conductor will stand on the podium of the opera in the quarry for the first time and take over the direction of the ensemble consisting of top international singers.
Aida, the Ethiopian princess, will be embodied by the outstanding sopranos Leah Crocetto, Ekaterina Sannikova, who excelled as Abigaille in "Nabucco" in 2022, and Leah Gordon. Leah Crocetto first sang Aida at the Sydney Opera House in June 2023 and received great applause and positive reviews for her singing. Tenors Hovhannes Ayvazyan, Jorge Puerte and Mikheil Sheshaberidze take on the role of Captain Radames. Aida's rival Amneris is brought to life by the impressive voices of Raehann Bryce-Davis, Kseniia Nikolaieva and Sofija Petrović. The US mezzo-soprano Raehann Bryce-Davis was hailed by the New York Times as a "striking mezzo-soprano ... that sang and spoke potently and moved vivaciously". Leo An and Zoltán Nagy sing the role of Amonasro, while Jongmin Park and Insung Sim embody the High Priest Ramphis. Ivan Zinoviev takes on the role of the King together with Artyom Wasnetsov and Sacerdotessa is portrayed by Melissa Purnell with an impressive voice. Jongmin Park (Zaccharia, "Nabucco" 2022), Ivan Zinoviev (Moralès, "Carmen" 2023/Oberpriester des Baal, "Nabucco" 2022) and Leo An (Nabucco, "Nabucco" 2022/Ping, "Turandot" 2021) are looking forward to returning to the opera in the quarry, where they have made a lasting impression in previous productions.
The Piedra Festival Orchestra will also be the resident orchestra next year, performing the lyrical Arias of Aida, Radame's dreamy romance "Hole Aida" and the opulent Triumphal March. As in previous years, the Vienna Philharmonia Chorus under the direction of Walter Zeh will provide an outstanding and proven ensemble.
Premiere: July 10, 2024
Further dates: July 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 27 and 28, 2024
August 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24 and 25, 2024
Opera in the quarry - an experience for all the senses
The opera in the St. Margarethen quarry offers not only cultural but also culinary delights: there is a specially created area, the "Opera Lounge", where gourmets and lovers of good wine can enjoy themselves before the opera and during the interval. And the large gastronomic offering right next to the audience area also impresses with a wide variety of regional dishes. An experience for all the senses!
