Famous Tenor Arias

Giuseppe Verdi became the leading Italian composer of his generation, dominating Italian opera in the second half of the nineteenth century, from the success of Nabucco in 1842 to his final opera Falstaff in 1893. Aida, with a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni from a scenario by the French egyptologist known as Mariette Bey, was written for the opening of the Cairo Opera House, where it received its first performance on Christmas Eve 1871. The drama concerns the love of the Egyptian general Radames for the Ethopian captive Aida, who is induced to betray him into divulging military plans against her country. Radames has been rewarded by the King for his victory in battle with the hand of the Princess Amneris, who loves him, and, learning of his love of Aida and his breach of military security, ensures his condemnation and death, in which he is joined by his beloved Aida. In his great aria Celeste Aida Radames, before