AIDA

Giuseppe Verdi
The grandest of grand operas

OPENS APRIL 21ST, 2012 ► Set amidst the monumental opulence of ancient Egypt, Verdi’s famous opera is visually stunning and musically magnificent. Against the sweeping background of warring nations, fierce patriotism and the mysteries of a powerful priesthood is a passionate drama of loyalty and love across enemy lines that will reach deep into your heart.

Read the full synopsis

TIckets available NOW exclusively through the VO Ticket Centre.

ON STAGE FOR 6 PERFORMANCES ONLY

Saturday	April 21, 2012	7:30pm
Tuesday	April 24, 2012	7:30pm
Thursday	Aprli 26, 2012	7:30pm
Saturday	April 28, 2012	7:30pm
Tuesday	May 1, 2012	7:30pm
Thursday	May 3, 2012	7:30pm

All performances are at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
Approximate running time: 3 hours, including one intermission.

CAST & CREATIVE TEAM

Conducted by	JONATHAN DARLINGTON JONATHAN DARLINGTON MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR Lapworth, England Last VO Appearance: La clemenza di Tito, 2011 Recent Appearances: The Magic Flute with Opera Australia The Abduction from the Seraglio with Grand Théatre de Genève Street Scene with Staatsoper Dresden Le nozze di Figaro with Den Norske Opera & Balleet Upcoming Engagements: Orlando with Staatsoper Dresden Vanessa with Oper Frankfurt Der Zwerg / Eine florentinische Tragödie with Deutsche Oper am Rhein Mr. Darlington, BA (Hons) Durham University is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music and a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. More about Jonathan Darlington.
Directed by	DAVID GATELY DAVID GATELY DIRECTOR Seattle, WA Last VO Appearance: Carmen, 2009 Recent Appearances: Don Pasquale with San Diego Opera Le nozze di Figaro and The Barber of Seville with Opera Colorado Dead Man Walking with Fort Worth Opera Angels in America with the BBC Symphony Orchestra Upcoming Engagements: Lysistrata with Forth Worth Opera La bohème with Florida Grand Opera Mr. Gately is the director of the opera program at the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. More about David Gately
Choreographer	CHAN HON GOH CHAN HON GOH Choreographer Beijing, China / Vancouver, BC Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Principal Dancer, National Ballet of Canada 1994 - 2009 Executive Producer, Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker International Jury Member, Seoul International Dance Competition, 2012 Canadian Judge, Yokosuka International Ballet Competition, 2012 Upcoming Engagements: Executive Producer, Coppelia and The Nutcracker with Goh Ballet Ms. Goh is the Director of the Goh Ballet Academy and Youth Company. More about Chan Hon Goh
Aida	MLADA KHUDOLEY MLADA KHUDOLEY AIDA SOPRANO Moscow, Russia Last VO Appearance: Salome, 2009 Recent Appearances: Salome with New Orleans Opera and Manitoba Opera Renata in Fiery Angel with Teatro Regio Torino Les noces with Mariinsky Theatre at Théatre de Champs Elysées, Paris Kaiserin in Die Frau ohne Schatten with Edinburgh International Festival Upcoming Engagements: Abigaille in Nabucco with Oper Stuttgart Turandot with Oper Graz More about Mlada Khudoley
Amneris	DAVEDA KARANAS DAVEDA KARANAS AMNERIS MEZZO-SOPRANO Mandeville, LA Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Amneris in Aida with Arizona Opera Waltraute, Second Norn, Fricka cover in Der Ring Des Nibelungen with San Francisco Opera Azucena in Il Trovatore with Opera Grand Rapids Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with San Francisco Opera Upcoming Engagements: Judith in Bluebeard’s Castle with Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Marfa in Khovanshchina with Oper Frankfurt More about Daveda Karanas
Radames	ARNOLD RAWLS ARNOLD RAWLS RADAMES TENOR West Monroe, LA Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Calaf in Turandot with Arizona Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City Radames in Aida and Manrico in Il trovatore with Bregenzer Festspiele auf dem See Manrico in Il Trovatore with TheMetropolitan Opera and Seattle Opera Apollo in Daphne and San Lui / Roberto in L’Oracolo / Le Villi with Oper Frankfurt Upcoming Engagements: Andrea Chénier with Bregenzer Festspiele auf dem See Manrico in Il Trovatore with Opera Australia More about Arnold Rawls
Amonasro	QUINN KELSEY QUINN KELSEY AMONASRO Honolulu, HI Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Amonasro in Aida with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Hawaii Opera Theatre Di Luna in Il trovatore with Semperoper Dresden Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with Deutsche Oper Berlin and Lyric Opera of Chicago Rigoletto with Canadian Opera Company, Den Norske Opera Upcoming Engagements: Ezio in Attila with San Francisco Opera Paolo in Simon Boccanegra with Lyric Opera of Chicago More about Quinn Kelsey
Ramfis	MORRIS ROBINSON MORRIS ROBINSON RAMFIS Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Joe in Showboat with Lyric Opera of Chicago Commendatore in Don Giovanni with San Francisco Opera, Florida Grand Opera and Dallas Opera Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and The Metropolitan Opera Angelotti in Tosca with Chicago Symphony Orchestra Upcoming Engagements: Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at Ravinia Fernando in Il trovatore with The Metropolitan Opera More about Morris Robinson
King of Egypt	ILYA BANNIK ILYA BANNIK KING OF EGYPT BASS St. Petersburg, Russia Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Emperor in The Nightingale & Other Short Fables with Canadian Opera Company Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Seattle Opera Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Opéra Dijon Upcoming Engagements: Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni and Polkan in Golden Cockerel with Den Nye Opera Gremin in Eugene Onegin with Edmonton Opera More about Ilya Bannik
High Priestess	SHEILA CHRISTIE SHEILA CHRISTIE HIGH PRIESTESS SOPRANO Lethbridge, AB Last VO Appearance: Giovanna in Rigoletto, 2009 Recent Appearances: Soloist, Vancouver Spring Show 2012 at The Centre in Celebration of the Year of the Dragon Soloist, Ninth Symphony (Beethoven) with Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra Soloist, Quasimodo with Boca del Lupo Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow with Burnaby Lyric Opera Upcoming Engagements: Soloist, Gala Showcase with the Richmond Academy of Dance
Messenger	JOHN ARSENAULT JOHN ARSENAULT MESSENGER TENOR Montague, PEI Last VO Appearance: Normanno in Lucia di Lammermoor, 2010 Recent Appearances: Soloist, Vespers (Rachmaninoff) with Vancouver Bach Choir Conductor, L’elisir d’amore and Die Fledermaus with Vancouver Island Opera First Jew in Salome with Vancouver Opera Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Island Opera Upcoming Engagements: Conductor, Gianni Schicchi with The Opera Project Conductor, Faust with Vancouver Island Opera Mr. Arsenault is Music Director of DragonDiva Operatic Theatre. More about John Arsenault
Chorus Director / Associate Conductor	LESLIE DALA LESLIE DALA CHORUS DIRECTOR / ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR Toronto, ON Last VO Appearance: Conductor, West Side Story, 2011 Recent Appearances: Die Schöpfung (The Creation), Les noces and Catulli Carmina with Vancouver Bach Choir The Nutcracker with Goh Ballet and Vancouver Opera Orchestra Lillian Alling with Banff Summer Festival Sarah McLachlan and the VSO with MusicFest Vancouver Upcoming Engagements: La bohème and The Magic Flute with Vancouver Opera Suor Angelica with the COSI program, Sulmona, Italy Mr. Dala is the Music Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir and the Music Director of the Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony. More about Leslie Dala
Lighting Designer	HELEN KUUKKA HELEN KUUKKA LIGHTING DESIGNER Helsinki, Finland / Orlando, FL Vancouver Opera Début Recent Appearances: Il barbiere di Siviglia with Tulsa Opera La traviata with Lyric Opera of Kansas City Aida with Portland Opera Vampire’s Ball with Orlando Ballet Upcoming Engagements: Daughter of the Regiment with Tulsa Opera Carmina Burana with Orlando Ballet More about Helen Kuukka
Assistant Director	AMIEL GLADSTONE AMIEL GLADSTONE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Vancouver, BC Last VO Appearance: Director, Lucia di Lammermoor, 2010 Recent Appearances: Director, Do You Want What I Have Got? A Craigslist Cantata (World Premiere) with Arts Club Theatre and PuSH Festival Director, Hansel & Gretel with Vancouver Opera In Schools Director, This with Vancouver Playhouse Director, 100% Vancouver with PuSh Festival and Theatre Replacement Upcoming Engagements: Director, Tosca with Pacific Opera Victoria Director, Extraction with Theatre Conspiracy More about Amiel Gladstone
Assistant Chorus Director/Principal Répétiteur	KINZA TYRRELL KINZA TYRRELL ASSISTANT CHORUS DIRECTOR / PRINCIPAL RÉPÉTITEUR Victoria, BC Last VO Appearance: Assistant Chorus Director / Principal Répétiteur, The Barber of Seville, 2012 Recent Appearances: Les Noces with Vancouver Bach Choir L’amour de loin with Canadian Opera Company Assistant Conductor, Lillian Alling with The Banff Centre BC Recital Tour with Richard Margison Upcoming Engagements: Conductor, Le nozze di Figaro with Vancouver Summer Opera Studio The Four Temperaments (Hindemith) with Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra Dr. Tyrrell is the Music Director of VOIS, Répétiteur /Assistant Conductor at Opera Nuova, COSI Centre for Opera Studies, The Banff Centre and Vancouver Summer Opera Studio.
Stage Manager	SHEILA MUNN SHEILA MUNN STAGE MANAGER Vancouver, BC Last VO Appearance: The Barber of Seville, 2012 Recent Appearances: Albert Herring with UBC Opera Ensemble Roméo et Juliette, La traviata, La clemenza di Tito, Lucia di Lammermoor, Lillian Alling, Madama Butterfly, The Marriage of Figaro, Nixon in China, Norma, Salome, Rigoletto, Carmen, Eugene Onegin, La bohème, Fidelio, The Italian Girl in Algiers, Cavalleria Rusticana/I Pagliacci, Tosca, Ariadne auf Naxos, The Magic Flute, and Macbeth with Vancouver Opera. L’Orfeo and L’Incoronazione di Poppea with MusicFest Vancouver Upcoming Engagements: The Merry Widow with UBC Opera Ensemble Ms. Munn is pleased to be joined by Assistant Stage Managers Theresa Tsang and Beth Grieve and Apprentice Stage Manager Anthony Wade-Cooper.