On Nov. 8, NECC Music and SOAR students enjoyed for the first time an opera performance, “Aida,” at the Emerson Colonial Theater in Boston under the direction of the Boston Lyric Opera Company.
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi in 1871, “Aida” is an epic story set in ancient Egypt, centering on themes of love, loyalty, and sacrifice.
The opera follows Aida, an Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt, who is caught in a love triangle with Radamès, an Egyptian military commander, and Amneris, the Egyptian princess.
Famous and known for its triumphal marches, and arias (solo or group opera singing) that made immortals to the famous singers of the “bel canto” like the Greek soprano Maria Callas for “O Patria Mia” or “Ritorna Vincitor” and the Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti for “Celeste Aida,” this is a masterpiece of the classical music.
The fortunate students who enjoyed preferred balcony seats were Angely Gabriel, Hina Atwell, Alex Revi, Cheryl Lopez, Kayla Clegg, Narjis Musa, Ibrahim Musa, Jennette Perez, Oliver Looker, Mimi Sky, Theresa Cordova-Lemus, Angelica Cordova, Andrea Wall-Sanchez, Andrea Vannett, Brynn Steeves, Patrick Sainato, Rick Roche, Lidia Ramirez, Paulitte Nganga, Ben Swanney and Sara Abdalla.
Students were accompanied by Music Chair and Professor Alisa Bucchiere, Chair of Global Studies Philosophy Professor Meredith Gunning, and Assistant Director of SOAR for Academic Support, Dermot Luddy.
According to professor Bucchiere, “The opera chorus had their music memorized, and there were upwards of sixty in the chorus. The orchestra was about the same size, and there were main characters who sang in front of the orchestra on stage.
“They sung the opera in Italian, and had large TV’s near the stage that had the English translations, as the opera happened.”
“The opera cast was as diverse as the NECC students which I was so glad to see!” she emphasized.
The cast featured:
Aida – Michelle Johnson
Amneris – Alice Chung
Radames – Diego Torre
Amonasro – Brian Major
Ramfis – Morris Robinson
High Priestess – Chelsea Basler
King of Egypt – Stefan Egerstrom
Messenger – Fred C. Vanness, Jr.
Bucchiere added, “The orchestra conductor and BLO Music director was David Angus. We were able to see about 40 minutes of the rehearsal with the chorus and orchestra and trumpeters in the balconies! And he was quite lovely, and he sounded like he was from England!”
“It was a fantastic event and the school vans and the bus drivers that SOAR was able to provide were amazing!” concluded Bucchiere.
Definitely #NECCMusicThrives.
This reporter has mixed feeling writing this article because I do love opera. I listen to it in memory of my dad; besides it helps me to center down when in despair or confusion or writing under deadline. He taught me to appreciate classical music, opera and zarzuela, and his favorite, therefore mine as well, was “Aida.”
However, no problem, I will wait for next time. As Radames says “If I have to search for a hundred lifetimes, I will find you again, Aida.”
