“Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi ♡

Paperback libretto with side-by-side translation

Read Aida with the original libretto and a clear English translation presented side by side.

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Premiere / date of written: 24 December 1871

Aida is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with a libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in ancient Egypt, the opera centers on the conflict between love, loyalty, and duty as the Egyptian commander Radamès falls in love with Aida, an Ethiopian princess held captive in Egypt. It was first performed at the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo on December 24, 1871, conducted by Giovanni Bottesini. With its grand ceremonial scenes and intimate personal drama, Aida remains one of Verdi’s most frequently performed operas.

Libretti

Italian–English side-by-side translation

#	Language	Authors
1	Italian	Antonio Ghislanzoni
2	German
3	English
4	French

original libretto
side-by-side of the original libretto

History

• 1871 December 24 — Giuseppe Verdi’s opera "Aida" had its world premiere at the Opera House in Cairo.
• 1872 February 8 — European premiere of Verdi’s "Aida" at La Scala (Milan).

Images

Printed Editions

Year	Edition	Publisher	Buy
2025	Aida: Opera Libretto with Italian–English Translation	DM’s Opera Series

Audio recordings

Year	Cast	Conductor, Opera chorus and orchestra	Label, Comment	Buy
1951	Aida — Maria Callas, Amneris — Oralia Domínguez, Radames — Mario Del Monaco, Amonasro — Giuseppe Taddei, Ramfis — Roberto Silva	Oliviero De Fabritiis Palacio de Bellas Artes Orchestra and Chorus, Mexico City	CD: EMI Classics Cat: 62678	$93.95
1962	Aida — Leontyne Price, Amneris — Rita Gorr, Radames — Jon Vickers, Amonasro — Robert Merrill, Ramfis — Giorgio Tozzi	Sir Georg Solti Rome Opera House Orchestra and Chorus	CD: Decca Cat: 4607652	$18.40
1974	Aida — Montserrat Caballé, Amneris — Fiorenza Cossotto, Radames — Plácido Domingo, Amonasro — Piero Cappuccilli, Ramfis — Nicolai Ghiaurov	Riccardo Muti New Philharmonia Orchestra and the Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus	CD: EMI Classics Cat: 5676132	$11.60
1979	Aida — Mirella Freni, Amneris — Agnes Baltsa, Radames — José Carreras, Amonasro — Piero Cappuccilli, Ramfis — Ruggero Raimondi	Herbert von Karajan Vienna Philharmonic and the Vienna State Opera Chorus	CD: EMI Classics Cat: 81877	$29.38
1986	Aida — Maria Chiara, Amneris — Ghena Dimitrova, Radames — Luciano Pavarotti, Amonasro — Leo Nucci, Ramfis — Paata Burchuladze	Lorin Maazel La Scala Orchestra and Chorus, Milan	CD: Decca Cat: 417439	$19.49
1991	Aida — Aprile Millo, Amneris — Dolora Zajick, Radames — Plácido Domingo, Amonasro — James Morris, Ramfis — Samuel Ramey	James Levine Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus and Ballet	CD: Sony Cat: 88697527722	$21.88
2015	Aida — Anja Harteros, Amneris — Ekaterina Semenchuk, Radames — Jonas Kaufmann, Amonasro — Ludovic Tézier, Ramfis — Erwin Schrott, Il Re d'Egitto — Marco Spotti, Messaggero — Paolo Fanale, Sacerdotessa — Eleonora Buratto	Sir Antonio Pappano Orchestra and Chorus of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome	Rhino Warner Classics	$44.99

Video recordings

Year	Cast	Conductor, Opera chorus and orchestra, Director	Label, Comment	Buy
1966	Aida — Leyla Gencer, Amneris — Fiorenza Cossotto, Radames — Carlo Bergonzi, Amonasro — Anselmo Colzani, Ramfis — Bonaldo Giaiotti	Arena di Verona orchestra and chorus and the Corps de Ballet of the Kirov Theatre	Hardy Classic Cat: HCD 4010	$19.96
1981	Aida — Margaret Price, Amneris — Stefania Toczyska, Radames — Luciano Pavarotti, Amonasro — Simon Estes, Ramfis — Kurt Rydl	Garcia Navarro War Memorial Opera House (San Francisco) orchestra and chorus Sam Wanamaker	Kultur International Films Cat: 3984 22366 2	$38.00
1986	Aida — Maria Chiara, Amneris — Ghena Dimitrova, Radames — Luciano Pavarotti, Amonasro — Juan Pons, Ramfis — Paata Burchuladze	Lorin Maazel Teatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus Luca Ronconi	Image Entertainment Cat: 0014381578522; Arthaus Musik Cat: 100059	$37.73
1989	Aida — Aprile Millo, Amneris — Dolora Zajick, Radames — Plácido Domingo, Amonasro — Sherrill Milnes, Ramfis — Paata Burchuladze	James Levine Metropolitan Opera orchestra and chorus and ballet	Deutsche Grammophon Cat: 00440 073 0019
2007	Aida — Violeta Urmana, Amneris — Ildikó Komlósi, Radames — Roberto Alagna, Amonasro — Carlo Guelfi, Ramfis — Giorgio Giuseppini	Riccardo Chailly Teatro alla Scala orchestra and chorus Franco Zeffirelli	Decca Cat: 074 3209	$31.78

Related links

• Aida: Italian–English Side-by-Side Libretto With Translation — LibrettoArchive Blog
• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia