Verdi’s opera about the Egyptian commander Radamès and the princess Aida is Aida.
The story is set in ancient Egypt, where Aida, an Ethiopian princess captured and enslaved, loves Radamès, a military commander. Radamès is loved in turn by Amneris, the daughter of the Egyptian king, creating a conflict between private devotion, royal power and military duty.
Aida was commissioned for the opening celebrations of the Khedivial Opera House in Cairo. Although it was intended for that occasion, delays meant that its premiere took place in Cairo on 24 December 1871, conducted by Giovanni Bottesini. Verdi did not attend the first performance.
The opera is especially famous for its grand ceremonial scenes, including the Triumphal March. Its intimate final act contrasts sharply with the public spectacle earlier in the work, as Aida and Radamès face a tragic conclusion.