1971 / AIDA / Verdi

AIDA – VERDI

Presented on Apr 19, 21, 23, 26 at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin and May 3, 5, 7 at the Opera House Cork as part of the Dublin Grand Opera Society’s Spring Season

Milkana Nikolova – Aida
Renato Francesconi – Radames
Carol Wyatt – Amneris
Pedro Farres – Amonasro
Carlo Micalucci – Ramfis
Eftimios Michalopoulos – King
Monica Condron – Priestess
Patrick Ring – Messenger

Napoleone Annovazzi – Conductor
Sanzio Levratti – Producer

Listen to this production here:
Amneris (Carol Wyatt), overlooked by chorister Olive Duncan (left) during “Aida” at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin in April 1971
Milkana Nikolova as “Aida”
The Nile scene from ‘Aida’ (1971)
Amneris (Carol Wyatt) greets President Eamon DeValera after “Aida” at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin in April 1971
The Nile scene from ‘Aida’ (1971)
Chorister Maura Devine in the ladies dressing room at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin during the Spring 1971 production of “Aida”
Aida (Milkana Nikolova) photographed backstage at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin with Ugo Benelli during performances of “Aida” in April 1971
Maestro Napoleone Annovazzi and his wife with Eftimios Michalopoulos (costumed as the King) photographed backstage at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin with Ugo Benelli during performances of “Aida” in April 1971

THE PRODUCTION WAS ALSO SEEN IN CORK:

It was adjudged an enjoyable “Aida”, with Fanny Feehan in the Evening Press being much taken by Carol Wyatt’s ‘sumptuously beautiful Amneris, her dramatic singing and her regality.’ She found Renato Francesconi a bit wooden as Radames, though he sang with commendable feeling; and in her view, soprano Milkana Nikolova lacked variety of tone as Aida. The sets and costumes came in for general praise, being described as very effective.

(Extracted from “Love and Music: The Glorious History of the Dublin Grand Opera Society” by Gus Smith, 1998)

Renato Francesconi