1. Aida A Transformation from Opera to Musical Jessica Carter Jon Chang Julie Len Aaron Meyer Verdi’s AIDA Elton John and Tim Rice’s AIDA

2. Love triangle between Aida, Radames, and Amneris Love triangle between Aida, Radames, and Amneris Radames unintentionally betrays his country out of love for Aida Radames unintentionally betrays his country out of love for Aida Radames is sentenced to entombment Radames is sentenced to entombment Aida secretly hides herself in the grave to die with Radames Aida secretly hides herself in the grave to die with Radames Overview

3. Plot Verdi’s Opera Tragic Tragic Serious Serious Emphasis on religion Emphasis on religion Broadway Musical Romanticized Romanticized Light-hearted and Comical Light-hearted and Comical Written for a larger audience Written for a larger audience

4. Aida and Radames find each other in a museum

5. CharactersOperaMusicalAmneris Jealous, paranoid, obsessive Threatens, tricks Violent, villanous Slightly sympathetic Clothes Clueless until end Aida More submissive Doesn’t vocalize agenda IndependentCourageous Radames Chosen by gods to lead battle against Ethiopia Prevents genocide Light-hearted Admires Aida’s strength Prevents genocide

6. Other Characters Musical’s Twists: Zoser- evil; poisons Pharaoh Zoser- evil; poisons Pharaoh Mereb -humor Mereb -humor Amonasro-not as prominent Amonasro-not as prominent Opera Preist-wants to execute slaves Preist-wants to execute slaves

7. MusicOpera traditional classical music traditional classical music Full orchestra with acoustic instruments Full orchestra with acoustic instruments Big chorus Big chorusMusical Simple melodies, chords and harmonies Simple melodies, chords and harmonies Rock band, with few orchestral instruments Rock band, with few orchestral instruments (3 keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, percussion, oboe, flute, cello, violin, French horn) (3 keyboards, bass, guitar, drums, percussion, oboe, flute, cello, violin, French horn) The use of electronic instruments and sounds The use of electronic instruments and sounds Use of reprises Use of reprises Use of re-occurring themes and motifs in the orchestrations by Paul Bogaev and Steve Margoshes Use of re-occurring themes and motifs in the orchestrations by Paul Bogaev and Steve Margoshes

8. Sets and Costumes Opera Opera Filmed at an actual production at the Metropolitan Opera House Filmed at an actual production at the Metropolitan Opera House Simple sets and costumes; not many changes Simple sets and costumes; not many changes

9. Sets Aida gives the Nubians hope and courage in “Dance of the Robe”

10. Sets Aida, Radames, and Amneris: The Love Triangle

11. Conclusion Theme of opera: tragic love Theme of opera: tragic love Theme of musical: fairy-tale love Theme of musical: fairy-tale loveTransformation: Verdi’s opera version of Aida is transformed by Elton John to a musical made for popular culture, making the story more entertaining and up-lifting.