By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan's State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater will Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Aida" on March 30.

The opera will be conducted by People's Artist of Azerbaijan Yalchin Adigozalov, Trend Life reported.

Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Afag Abbasova will play the role of Aida, while the role of Radames will be performed by People’s Artist of Ukraine Andrey Romanenko.

The performance will also feature leading soloists of the Opera and Ballet Theater, People's Artists of Azerbaijan Ali Asgarov, Akram Poladov, Gulnaz Ismayilova, honored artists Jahangir Gurbanov and Tural Agasiyev.

Verdi wrote his Egyptian opera Aida in response to a commission from the Khedive of Egypt for the opening of the new Cairo Opera House, after rejecting requests for an anthem to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal a year earlier. The first performance was conducted by the famous double-bass player Bottesini.

Aida, an Ethiopian princess, is captured and brought into slavery in Egypt. A military commander, Radames, struggles to choose between his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh. To complicate the story further, Radames is loved by the Pharaoh’s daughter Amneris, although he does not return the feeling.