Word: aida
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...Darlin' Aida (music by Giuseppe Verdi; book & lyrics by Charles Friedman) shifts its scene from the Memphis, Egypt of Aida to Memphis, Tenn. in 1861. Aida, Amneris and Radames of Verdi's opera become respectively a lovely slave girl (Elaine Malbin), her imperious young mistress (Dorothy Sarnoff) and a Confederate officer (Howard Jarratt) who loves the slave girl but is engaged to her mistress. The story is a tangle of Negro uprisings, hooded night riders, beatings, and death for the lovers...
...carefully closed (one cardinal rule for every announcer it soon becomes as natural as breathing), and both girls settle down to watch the clock. 7:28:20--28:30--35--the announcer signals sharply, the tech girl fiddles with controls, and the opening bars of the triumphal march from Aida, Radio Radcliffe's theme, go over the air. Another quick signal, the music cuts down. The announcer takes a deep breath. "This is WRRB, Radio Radcliffe, now signing...
...Aida has had her face lifted. The stunning new decor and costumes by Rolf Gerard, and the dramatic staging of Margaret Webster demonstrate that Broadway techniques can effectively be applied to grand opera. The height of voluptuousness came in the first scene of Act Two. Blanche Thebom may not be the world's most beautiful Amneris, but when I saw her lounging on her divan being fanned and bathed by dozens of slaves, I couldn't help wondering why Radames chose the rotund Aida instead...
Zinka Milanov has a rich, compelling voice, but she was too big and too awkward for a believable Aida. The really outstanding principal in this production was Mario Del Monaco. His Radames was always exciting. Not only can be act, but also his full-bodied tenor voice (especially in "Celestc Aida" where he hit the fabulous B-flat without a tremor) shows training and power...
Music on the more serious side includes simultaneous rival presentations of Verdi's La Traviata, by the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera Company (City Center, 131 West 55th) tomorrow night. The latter group puts on Aida at 8:15 tonight, Carmen Sunday afternoon, and La Boheme Sunday night...