Portrait of Ferdinand de Lesseps
Related Story: Aida is an opera in
four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an
Italian libretto by Antonio
Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario
written by French Egyptologist
Auguste Mariette. It was first
performed at the Khedivial Opera
House in Cairo on December 24, 1871.
Ismail Pasha, Khedive of Egypt,
commissioned Verdi to write the
opera for performance in January
1871, paying him 150,000 francs, but
the premiere was delayed because of
the Franco-Prussian War. Contrary to
popular belief, the opera was not
written to celebrate the opening of
the Suez Canal in 1869, nor that of
the Khedivial Opera House in the
same year. Verdi had been asked to
compose an ode for the occasion, but
refused on the grounds that he did
not write "occasional pieces". Text
Source: Wikipedia.
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