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S52E20

Great Performances at the Met: Aida

Premiere: 6/13/2025 | 0:30 |

Angel Blue makes her highly anticipated Met role debut as Aida, the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium of Michael Mayer’s staging, featuring intricate projections of ancient Egypt and animations.

About the Episode

Soprano Angel Blue makes her long anticipated Met role debut as Aida, the Ethiopian princess caught between her love for an enemy soldier and loyalty to her homeland. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Michael Mayer’s new staging of Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic opera which immerses audiences in the splendor of ancient Egypt. The cast includes Judit Kutasi as Aida’s Egyptian rival Amneris, and Piotr Beczała as Radamès, the soldier caught in an epic love triangle. Also featured are Quinn Kelsey as Amonasro, Morris Robinson as Ramfis, and Harold Wilson as the King. Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens hosts.

In July, Great Performances at the Met returns with Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera starring Lise Davidsen as Leonore, a faithful wife who risks everything to save her husband from the clutches of tyranny. Susanna Mälkki conducts the production which finds modern-day parallels in Beethoven’s eulogy to freedom. Great Performances at the Met: Fidelio premieres Sunday, July 13 on PBS (check local listings). These operas are part of season 19 of Great Performances at the Met premiering March through October.

 

Aida Principal Cast:

Angel Blue – Aida

Piotr Beczała – Radamès

Judit Kutasi – Amneris

Quinn Kelsey – Amonasro

Morris Robinson – Ramfis

Harold Wilson – The King

 

Aida Creative Team:

Rhiannon Giddens – Host

Gary Halvorson – Director

Yannick Nézet-Séguin – Conductor

Michael Mayer – Production

Christine Jones – Set Designer

Susan Hilferty – Costume Designer

Kevin Adams – Lighting Designer

59 Productions – Projection Design

Oleg Glushkov – Choreographer

David Frost – Music Producer

Mia Bongiovanni – Supervising Producer

Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik – Producers

Matt Dobkin and Merrin Lazyan – Creative Content Producers

Antonio Ghislanzoni – Libretto, based on a scenario by Auguste Mariette

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PRODUCTION CREDIT

Great Performances at the Met is produced by the Metropolitan Opera in association with PBS and The WNET Group, bringing the best of the Metropolitan Opera into the homes of opera fans across the country. For the Met: Mia Bongiovanni is supervising producer and Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik are Producers. Peter Gelb is Executive Producer. For Great Performances: Bill O’Donnell is Series Producer; David Horn is Executive Producer.

FUNDING CREDITS

For Great Performances, funding is provided by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, Ellen and James S. Marcus, and Jody and John Arnhold.

TRANSCRIPT

It's a monumental tale, both epic and intimate Aida, Ethiopia's princess.

Radamès, Egypt's warrior.

Their countries are at war, but they're in love and Amneris couldnt be more jealous.

Thrill to Angel Blue Piotr Beczaa and Judit Kutasi — and Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts when Verdi's grand opera spectacular “Aida” comes to Great Performances at the Met.