Peter Stein, better known to the Russian audience as a director of dramatic performances ("The Cherry Orchard", "Uncle Vanya" at the Chekhov Festival), presented his version of Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida" to the audience in April 2014. The director faced several challenges: working with resident singers and not just one cast (the phenomenon of a "repertory theatre" was new to the maestro), creating and changing large-scale sets even for the era, and impeccable adherence to Verdi's scores. The work of set designer Ferdinand Wögerbauer resulted in a stunning visual spectacle. The historical context of the Pharaohs' era brings the level of the audience's imagination closer to complex, cumbersome, yet simultaneously harmonious structures, among which are the banks of the Nile and temples of divine powers. However, the color of the plot (its design, including) does not yield to the true meaning of the drama. The director created a rather intimate production, allowing for the depiction of, for example, the duet of Aida (Irina Vashchenko) and Amonasro (Andrey Baturkin). The transparent and romantic atmosphere of the night is combined with Aida's declamation, framed in constant orchestral sequences. The musical parts combine simple, easily memorable choral singing of the Egyptians with expressive, strong characters of the main heroes: Radames, Princess Amneris, Aida, and Amonasro. The main heroine is sensual, emotional, but in the director's vision, her impulses are restrained, as she is also a victim of the entire tale. The key goal of the director was to maintain a certain tension, rather than convey explosive character traits of the characters. In "Aida," the personal drama unfolds against the backdrop of monumental, mass scenes, solemn marches, hymns, and panegyrics. The cruel priests are contrasted with the images of the morally steadfast Aida and Radames. The spiritual content of the opera is expressed through a hymn to high human feelings. For more performances, visit our website in the theatre section.