Aida, si pura e bella! "Aida" at Bucharest!

[ Author Adrian Trasca ] [ From category THE Articles ] [ Subcategory OperaRail 2015 ] [ Translator Catalina Popescu ] [ Article date: 2015-08-31 ] [ From city Bucuresti ] [ Country România ] [ Link images: http://www.operanationala.ro/poze/poze.php?id_categ=31&nume_categ=bucuresti---aida ]   "Aida" at Bucharest is for me a challenge! Because, while in the articles on foreign opera houses I can write anything that crosses my mind :-) , many of those who are reading an article about the Bucharest National Opera have seen the show and are able to evaluate my aberations...aaah, my impressions :-) knowingly. I haven�t written until now about the Bucharest Opera because I considered that a show here is easily available to anyone. But subsequently I realised I was wrong, as there are people from other parts of the country or from abroad who read what I write and for whom a trip to Bucharest is difficult or improbable. This is the reason why I decided to write at least an article, both about Bucharest and about the other Romanian Opera Houses that I visit. So, a challenge. And I.... I love challenges, don�t I? What a stupid stereotype this idea has become! Lately, everybody loves challenges, everybody says they would roll with the cable car at a tiny distance over the People�s House, would walk on their hands from Unirii Square to Romana Square and back on Victoriei Avenue or would study at 50 de faculties at the same time if... Or if... Or if... I am not saying I love challenges, but that this has nothing to do with this article. It is not a challenge. I am writting it for my friends living outside Bucharest or abroad and who haven�t seen the show and, more recently, having found a few people, more or less enthousiastic, who translate my articles in a number of foreign languages, I am writing it for those foreigners who accidentally access my website. Hmmm... It does seem a bit of a challenge, though! :-) The People�s House and "50 shops, all in one" are two well-known symbols of the Romanian capital, especially the first one, the other one being only a part of the city�s history, and known mainly by those who spent their life partially in the "Golden Age ". The route Unirii - Romana with the return on Victoriei Avenue is the touristically recomended one in Bucharest, but my warm advice to those visiting the city is to put the "challenges" aside and to travel inside it in the traditional way, walking on foot and not on hands. :-) Bucharest is a beautiful city! I already feel I upset half a reader on square metre! :-) Yet, I repeat: Bucharest is a beautiful city! For those mentioning the famous axis GFR - not the German Federal Republic, but the "artistic assembly" Giulesti-Ferentari-Rahova - I am going to ask them if in Rome or London they went to visit the centre or the neighbourhoods. Not to mention New York and Rio de Janeiro, the first with the "artistic" Bronx, the second with the well-known favelas. I tend to believe that they didn�t! Turistically speaking, Bucharest is a beautiful city. There is the bad Romanian habit of self-defamation. "Things are like this only here! " "This happens only at us! " I hate a lot this habbit! When "I was little" and I hadn�t been too much outside the country, I almost believed it. When I started travelling, I noticed that "this" doesn�t happen only at us! It is true that at us do happen a lot of things that shouldn�t happen, but so is almost all over the world! I don�t deny the higher standard of living, civilisation, and even of politeness in other countries - I am really bothered by the fact that the level of civility has decreased enormously in Romania - but I am really glad that I was not born and I don�t live in areas of the world, much more numerous than the good ones, where the salary is one dolar a day, or where medical assisance means water, a loooot of water in case of broken bones, ebola or AIDS. The athenaeum, the most beautiful building in the city, the Royal Palace, the Central University Library, the History Museum, the central CEC (state owened banking institution in Romania), the National Bank (visited only at the exterior and without hoods :-) ), Stavropoleos church, People�s House, the Royal Court, the Old City, the Uivesrity (both big buildings), the National Theatre, Arch of Triumph, the Village Museum, and, of course, the National Opera are landmarks that make Bucharest worth being on the list of the "should be visited" European cities, even if not on top of the list. The Bucharest National Opera functioned until the 1990s as "the Romanian National Opera". Its foundation year is considered to be 1921, year when a group of enthousiasts - either more persuasive, or luckier, I don�t know exactly - led by George Stephanescu, succeded in officially founding the Bucharest Opera institution. The present building dates from 1953, so having more than 60 years of existence. It has three big imposing arcades, two bas-reliefs on the laterals, four statues between the columns, but, however, it has a slight, subtle soviet touch, probably because of the straight lines of the upside-down V of the roof. I think that over this V, there should be some statues, angels (or crows) :-) ) from which to hang some branches (or bird excrements? :D :-) ) ) ) to visually "cut" those straight lines, giving it a more wavy and atractive touch. The interior is not big enough for what Bucharest deserves, but we shouldn�t forget that we are talking about a building constructed only 7-8 years after the Second World War! The lodges are on two levels, (few, but we cannot artificially grow their number :-) ), the chandelier is majestic (one of the most beautiful in Europe), and excelently framed vizually in several concentric circles, that don�t suffocate it, and higher there is the balcony of those who, although having money, prefer to look down on the artists. :-) Also, there used to be a Museum of the Opera at the top floor, unimpressive, but much better than what is now, which is... nothing. The artists who sang here? Who knows them...all? The most dear to me... Ludovic Spiess, Pompei Harasteanu, Nicolae Herlea, Vasile Martinoiu, Teodor Ilincai, Stefan Ignat, Iordache Basalâc, Felicia Filip, Elena Mosuc, Roxana Briban (who for me will always remain the best "Aida"...), Irina Iordachescu, Ecaterina Tutu-Pop, Oana Andra, Mihaela Stanciu, Sorina Munteanu, Cellia Costea, the last on my list being... Angela Gheorghiu, who had her debut on the ONB scene between the two "Aida" that I saw this spring for the present article. The last one cronologically, of course. :-) And I almost forgot - so to say ;-) -... Corina Dumitrescu, Ovidiu Matei Iancu, Vlad Toader, in whose "Lakes" I always "bathed" with imense pleasure. Of course, I don�t ignore "the old guard", actually the best "side dish" in the history of the Bucharest Opera, David Ohanesian, Dan Iordachescu, Ionel Voineag, Ion Buzea, Corneliu Fanateanu, Virginia Zeani, Elena Cernei, Ileana Cotrubas, Marina Krilovici, Eugenia Moldoveanu, Nicolae Dobrin - oops! This one "en-chanted" the football tribunes :-), but I didn�t see them on the scene, or I don�t remember them, as I was a child in the 1980s-90s. Bucharest Opera is my favourite! Here I feel at home! Or the most "at home"! Because there are three more operas where I feel at home (Brasov, Craiova and... Arena di Verona), but the most "at home" I feel in Bucharest. Here I went for the first time to the Opera ("Traviata", when I was about 12 years old), here I saw most shows (over 250, around 60% from the total, percentage that was 80-90% a few years ago), here I collaborated for the first time with an Opera, here I hovered "operatically" for the first time. In 2002-2006 I collaborated with ONB, making and maintaining the website together with Ms Vivia Sandulescu in the period when director was Master Ludovic Spiess. "Aida" at Bucharest. An about two decade old production. I don�t know if it needs a new touch - I watch it with pleasure each time - but I wouldn�t want the new production to be a crap like the two or three I�ve seen in the West. The Bucharest mounting has the Egyptian atmosphere and, after all, this is the purpose, it is normal fot those who have seen it many times to have got bored of it. Reason why I recomment them to go and see other mountings at Verona, the new Aida, at London, at Zurich and they will get rid of the desire for "novelties". :D The first act. The curtain opens, Radames and the high priest walk slowly coming from behind the scene. Radames, white warrior costume with golden insertions, golden sandals, white cloak. The priest, in white, plus the golden fur cap, "moves" a long staff on the floor. The decor, two big, high trapezoidal shapes, on which there are drawn Egyptian patterns, at the back a big Egyptian gate. "Celeste Aida! " - the light that wraps the scene is yellowish, in perfect concordance with the decor. Amneris approaches accompanied by four slaves, she also wears white with some golden as main shades: long dress with gold and green hem at the edges, the tiara crown that she is wearing on her head also golden with green. "El se turba! " - "El turbeaza! " - "He goes mad! " Aaa, no, "El se tulbura! " "Ah, no, he is stirred :-) Aida, dark orange dress, circle around her head, small brown cloak, brunette, curly hair. The pharaoh is brought in on the palanquin, he keeps in his crossed arms the Egyptian symbols of power - how could I describe two golden tool-like metal things, one hook-shaped, the other one like a stick with a pommel at the end? :-) An Egyptian soldier enters holding the fight symbol (flag), that looks like... how could I describe a long blunt spear hold vertically and that, at the upper end, has a wooden gold plated crow, pardon me, eagle :-) ? :-) Isis chooses the leader of the armies, and this one, Radames, receives from Amneris the fight symbol, that she had taken from the soldier. "Guerra! Guerra! Guerra! Guerra! Guerra! " "Ritorna vincitooooor! " - "Te-ntoarce-nvingatooooor! " - "Come back a winner! " The temple of Isis. "Immensso Fta! Noi t`invochiamo! " - "Imensule Fta! Noi te invocam! " "Immense Fta! We invoke you! " Four blocks of stone on the sides, the high golden statue of the godess Isis in the centre, with her arms spread at the sides, slightly bent from the elbows and her palms facing the public. Discrete orange lights at the back, white lights on the front people�s faces. The priests stand at the sides while the dancers perform the ritual, a slow dance, in tune with the music. From the back a girl enters with a sword which she gives to the chief-priest, after having brandished it several times. The girls go out, only the one with the sword stays, Radames enters. They set in a line, Radames to the left, in the centre of the scene the girl with the sword, the high priest to the right. "O, great Fta, you who created the world, the sea and the sky, / We invoke you, great Fta! " The girl gives the sword to the priest, who gives it to Radames. The Egyptians can go to war. The four blocks of "stone" are aranged in a wide V. In the centre some stairs go upwards, and on their top Amneris is lying on a divan. She is wearing a long gown made of red velvet. At the bottom of the stairs and of the stones, symetrically arranged, 5-6 slaves sing in choir, and 3 others at harps. They have almost entirelly white dresses, decorated with a little green and dark orange. "The dance of the little negroes" is performed by 5 girls in brown tight costumes with African hairstyle, and two of them have big boobs, they don�t look like little negroes at all. :-) Amneris comes down - "O, vieni, vieni, amor mio! Fammi beato il cor! " - "O, vino, vino, iubite! Imbata-ma de fericire! " "Oh, come, come, my love! Intoxicate me with happiness! " But the one who comes is Aida. :-) The other girls get out chased away by Amneris. "Soarta a fost cruda cu ai tai! " "Fate was cruel with your dear ones! " "Comandantul insusi a fost ranit de moarte." "The commander himself has been deadly wounded." "Priveste-ma in fata! Te-am mintit! " "Look me in the eyes! I lied to you! " "Tu, rivala mea? Ei, bine, si eu iti sunt rivala! " "You, my rival? Well, I am your rival, too! " Amneris comes towards Aida threateningly, lifting his arm at the ear level to smack her. It is a simple moment of direction, but that some treat superficially or bad. But at Bucharest the play is in concordance with the music. Aida squats. "Ah! Che dissi mai? Pieta! Perdono! Tu sei felice Tu sei posiente Io vivo solo per quest`amor! " "Ah! Ce am zis! Iertare! Iertare! Tu ai puterea si fericirea Eu traiesc doar pentru aceasta iubire! " "Ah, what have I said! Forgiveness! Forgiveness! You have the power and happiness I live only for this love! " Between the four blocks of stone on the laterals, at the back of the scene, there has been put a big entrance gate for the Pharaoh�s court. The thrones (his and his daughter�s) are to the left, perched on top of some stairs that the two climb when they enter the scene. The priests enter, wearing white with golden patterns, they stand in two rows on the left lateral side, girls, in white with green or dark orange patterns and holding flowers, stand on three rows on the right lateral, facing the priests, men in dark green warrior skirts and with spears in their hands, on a row in front of the girls. The High Priest is in front of them, the Pharaoh is brought in on a large palanquin, and so is Amneris. Aida is to the left, down, at the bottom of the stairs. "Glorie all`Egitto e Isis! " - "Glorie Egiptului si zeitei Isis! " - "Glory to Egypt and to the godess Isis! " The Triumphal March. The soldiers are marching with swords and shields. They have white clothes, decorated with golden and green, and the shields with golden. During the instrumental part all the soldiers dance, each of them having a girl as a pair. The group fills the scene, the movements are wide, beautiful, lively, but sometimes they are a little out of phase, a bit too often. Leading is a pair who is sometimes in tune with the group, other times makes warlike movements. Radames is brought in on a huge boat shaped golden palanquin carried by eight people who are prone to have back problems if they continue to carry the hell of the boat for long. "Salvator della patria, io ti saluto! " - "Te salut, salvator al patriei noastre! " "I greet you, saviour of our homeland! " Aida is holding a cushion on which there is the laurel crown. Amneris descends from the throne, grabs the crown, pretends putting it on Radames�s head (who has a huge golden crest), then puts it on the sword�s handle, sword that he carries at his waist. A little nonsensical... "Sa intre prizonierii! " "Let the prisoners enter! " Children, girls, with African hairstyles, their faces black, plain clothes, like a sac, suitable for the role of prisoners. The colours are different, orange, dark red, brown, various shades of these. Amonasro is the only adult - with an army of children it�s no wonder that he defeated Radames :D - He is bulky, dark brown skin tight costume, little skirt with brown stripes, a belt on the diagonal of his body from the left shoulder to the right hip, golden sandals, broad fillet through the dark curly hair. "Morte in van cercai! " - "Moartea in zadar am cautat-o! " - "Death in vain I�ve searched! " Verdi ends each stanza "strongly", doubling the last sound. Each time, at this moment, Amonasro shows off in front of the Pharaoh, his chest forwards, and a soldier stops him by threatening him with a spear. Radames demands the release of the prisoners. The priests ask "Struggi, o, Re, queste ciurme feroci! " - "Sfarma, rege, hoarda barbara! " - "Destroy, oh, king, the barbarian horde! ", the crowd asks "Grazie per l`infelici! " - "Mila pentru acesti nefericiti! " - "Pity for these miserables! " The pharaoh gives Radames half of his reward, keeping Aida and Amonasro themselves as warranty, advised by the High Priest, and, bonus, he also gives him Amneris as a burden. Aaah, as his wife! :D "D`Amneris la mano premio ti sia." - "Iti dau ca rasplata mâna fiicei mele" - "As a reward I give you my daughter�s hand! " The crowd is happy, the prisoners leave saying goodbye to Aida and her father, all sing together, but in the same time separatly, what each of them wants. "Glorie Egiptului si zeitei Isis! " - "Glory to Egypt and to the godess Isis! " Break, the first one, after two acts played one after another. The spectators go out, some go in the lobby, the most beautiful one in Romania, or maybe even in the South-Eastern Europe, including here Belgrad, Sofia, Athens, Chisinau, and even Budapest! It is roomy, although, since a big bar has been installed in the middle, it looks narrower, and the ceiling is decorated with golden "curls". Through the windows you can see the park that stretches in front of the building, a pleasant view regardless of the season. The third act has the temple to the left, to the right a rock, blue light with greenish shades. The background is bright white, cut by a few palm trees, as high as the entire scene, a long boat is floating in front of the background wall and stops in the middle, Amneris descends, the Great Priest welcomes her: "Vino in templul lui Isis sa-i ceri ocrotirea in ajunul nuntii tale! " "Da, ma voi ruga ca Radames sa fie doar al meu si eu voi fi a lui! " "Come in Isis�s temple to ask for her protection on the eve of your wedding! " "Yes, I will pray so that Radames can be only mine and I will be his! " Amneris, the High Priest, and their companions enter the temple. Aida comes, the scene is empty, blue, Aida wears white and has a golden belt. "Nilul imi va fi mormantul! " "O, patria mea, nicicand nu te voi mai revedea! " "Pricini grave m-aduc la tine, Aida! " "Ce groaznic ce imi ceri tu! Niciodata! " "Un popor invins, disperat, numai prin tine mai poate spera! " "The Nile will be my grave! " "Oh, my homeland, I�ll never see you again! " "Grave reasons bring me to you, Aida! " "Valea din Napata! " "Trădătooor! " "The Napata valley! " "Traitor! " Amonasro takes out a knife - he was a slave, how comes he had a knife? - and tries to kill Amneris. Radames stops him, then helps Aida and her father run, then surrenders. "High Priest, to you I surender! " "As vrea sa-l salvez! Dar cum? Voi incerca! Garzi! Radames sa fie adus aici! " "I�d like to save him! But how? I will try! Gards! Bring Radames here! " Radames is brought by four soldiers. His general costume has been lost, instead of it being the prisoner one, like a white sac with a belt at the middle. "Patria, tronul, viata le-as da pentru tine! " "Nu ma tem de ura lumii, mi-e teama de mila ta! " "My homeland, my throne, my live, I would give them all for you! " "I am not afraid of the people�s hatred, I am afraid of your mercy! " On the solemn music the priests slowly enter the scene. They align in front of the scene, their backs towards public, and their white, the only one lit in the setting, catches the eyes. Then they go behind the stone monuments. "Radames, ai divulgat dusmanilor secrete ale tarii! Disculpa-te! El taaace! Traadatoooor! " "E nevinovat! Mila, o, zei! " "Radames, you have disclosed to the enemies the secrets of the country! Exculpate youself! He is silent! Traaaaitooor! " "He is inocent! Mercy, oh, gods! " "Radames, ai parasit ostirea in ajunul luptei! Disculpa-te! El taaace! Traadatoooor! " "Indurare! Salvati-l, zei! " "Radames, you abandoned the army the day before the fight! Exculpate youself! He is silent! Traaaaitooor! " "Mercy! Save him, gods! " "Radames, ti-ai calcat juramantul fata de patri ce! Disculpa-te! El taaace! Traadatoooor! " "Indurare! Salvati-l voi, zei! " "Radames, you have violated your oath made to your homeland! Exculpate youself! He is silent! Traaaaitooor! " "Mercy! You save him, gods! " "Radames, soarta ta e decisa: la moarte esti condamnat! Sub altarul zeului tradat in cripta vei fi ingropat! " "Radames, your fate has been decided: to death you are sentenced! Under the betrayed god�s altar in the crypt you will be buried! " "Trăădatooor! Trăădatooor! Trăădatoooooor! " "Traaaaitooor! Traaaaitooor! Traaaaitooor! " The grave is dark, with the four stones close to one another, giving the feeling of confinement, helped by the light, orange with dark green. The fatal gravestone has closed over me. Here is my grave! I will never see the light again! I will never see Aida again! " But Aida is "a shadow, a specter", and she appears from behind a stone block. "Totul e sfarsit pentru noi pe Pamant! " "Everything is over for us on the Earth! " "Adio, lume! Adio, vale de plansete! " "Farewell, world! Farewell, valley of weeping! " "Deasupra noastra se deschide cerul! " "Above us the sky opens! " From the right side, in front of the stone block lying there, Amneris shows up with a laurel crown, kneels, raises her arms, prays. "Pace eterna, Isis, iti cer pentru el! " "Eternal peace, Isis, I ask you for him! " Aida and Radames in the grave, in the middle of the scene, fall in each other�s arms. Beside them, which means on the grave, Amneris lies down, lying his head on his arms, that he has just stretched on the floor. The lights go off slowly... As I foreseen it, it has been a difficult article. I don�t know if it turned out well, but I will find out after the kicks in the... after the opinions I�ll receive. :-) Writing this article was an interesting experience. I�ve seen this "Aida" about 30 times, but trying to describe it made me see it from another point of view, one from which I try to notice as many details as possible, some of which seem so natural, that I hardly avoided missing them. And speaking of Bucharest, it is like People�s House. We have got accustomed with it and it seams common, because we see or can see it every day, while the tourists are astonished when they see how big it is. Also, "the translation" in Romanian is a little weird. I did it, though, both to highlight the moment of the opera where I was, and to give a Romanian shade to the translation of the article in foreign languages. PS: Against the inveterate grumpy of you I specially kept at the end the strongest argument in the favour of our capital: "Fetite dulci / ca-n Bucuresti / in toata lumea nu gasesti! " "Girls as sweet/ as in Bucharest/ you can nowhere find! " ;-) :-) ) ) The March 19th 2015 show distribution: The king - Marius Bolos Amneris - Andrada Rosu (guest) Aida - Cellia Costea (guest) Radames - Daniel Magdal (guest) Ramfis - Dan Paul Dumitrescu (guest) Amonasro - Stefan Ignat The messenger - Valentin Racoveanu The High Priestess - Simona Neagu Ballet soloists - Liliana Nica, Gabriela Popovici, Ionut Arteni Conductor: Alexandru Samoila (invitat) Directed by: Plamen Kartalov Scenography: Viorica Petrovici Choreography: Francisc Valkay Choirmaster: Stelian Olariu Assistant Director: Cristina Cotescu Assistant Choirmaster: Daniel Jinga Assistent Choreographer, ballet master: Mirela Simniceanu The April 10th 2015 show distribution: The king - Mihnea Lamatic Amneris - Liliana Mattei Ciuca (guest) Aida - Carmen Gurban (guest) Radames - Konstantin Andreev (guest) Ramfis - Horia Sandu Amonasro - Stefan Ignat Messenger - Valentin Racoveanu The High Priestess - Simona Neagu Ballet soloists - Liliana Nica, Gabriela Popovici, Ionut Arteni Conductor: Friedrich Pfeiffer (guest) Directed by: Plamen Kartalov Scenography: Viorica Petrovici Choreography: Francisc Valkay Choirmaster: Stelian Olariu Assistant Director: Cristina Cotescu Assistant Choirmaster: Daniel Jinga Assistent Choreographer, ballet master: Mirela Simniceanu

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30-09-2024: Aida storica 1913
"Aida" in Verona 100 + 1. A hundred emotions plus one, yours!

Arena di Verona, the most Italian place on Earth!

These are the slogans through which Arena di Verona has chosen this year, 2024, to promote the Opera Festiva ...
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[ Author Adrian Trasca ]
From category THE Articles

21-09-2024: Aida shines brightly at the Arena di Verona
The Arena di Verona is also presenting a modern version of Aida, in addition to the old but wonderful version from 1913. And it looks something like this!

The stage is tilted, and the floor is made of glass. In the center, a giant hand ...
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[ Author Adrian Trasca ]
From category THE Articles

11-09-2024: Tosca a Verona 2024
Mario`s painting is huge, but... it`s on the floor, lying on its side. Mario doesn`t actually paint it, but "works" on some sketches. In the center of the stage you can see some huge shapes/objects, covered with black cloths. There are also two canno ...
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[ Author Adrian Trasca ]
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01-09-2024: “La boheme� at Arena di Verona
Arena di Verona. We arrive. We park. We get off. We take a few pictures with the Arena in the background, then ... a heavy rain starts! We take shelter under a tree. :-) I don`t think the show is happening anymore, but we can`t leave either, so we ju ...
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[ Author Adrian Trasca ]
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20-12-2023: Spoletta, symbol of Hungarian anti-communist resistance
Budapest Opera House was inaugurated in 1884 to be a competition for Vienna StaatsOper. It is localised in the center of the hungarian capital, just a few minutes behind St. Stefan cathedral, the bigest church of the city. In 2022 is was open again a ...
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[ Author Adrian Trasca ]
From category THE Articles