By: Emily R. Zarevich, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Burlington Local-News.ca
The Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (SOLO) time-travelled back to war-torn Napoleonic Italy last year with its successful execution of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca. Now, in the year 2026, the company is travelling back even further in time to Ancient Egypt, when pharaohs reigned, pyramids were erected to represent their glory, and the sand burned hot under the feet of conspirators and lovers alike. On March 7, 2026, SOLO is teaming up with the Burlington Performing Arts Centre once again to put on a one-night-only production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida.
A passionate tragedy in four acts, Aida’s narrative follows the woeful undoing of the captured Ethiopian princess Aida, who is a hostage of the powerful Egyptian empire. She is the beloved of the renowned warrior Radamès, who is under the command of Egypt’s ruler. In turn, the pampered Egyptian princess Amneris desires Radamès as a husband, and Radamès must make a choice between his responsibilities to his kingdom and the yearnings of his heart.
The immensely talented Stephanie Yelovich and Andrew Derynck have already been cast as Amneris and Radamès, respectively, with an announcement of the female lead forthcoming on the website. Edward Franko will be the stage director.
SOLO’s founder and artistic director Sabatino Vacca is scheduled to give a free public lecture on the opera on February 17, 2026, at the Burlington Public Library. However, he is happy to discuss the technicalities of assembling such a production in advance. Answers have been condensed and lightly edited for clarity and flow.
SOLO’s production of Tosca last year focused heavily on the eroticism of doomed love. Will the production of Aida do the same?
With Aida, it would not be nearly to the same extent. Verdi and Puccini were writing in different eras. Verdi lived from 1813 to 1901 and grew and developed a lot as a composer during that time. He was part of the generation that followed composers like Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and others, and inherited their traditions initially. Verdi then went on to develop his own style and further develop new norms in opera.
By the time we get to Puccini, we are now for the most part in the “Verismo” era. The term is taken from the word “Vero,” which means “true.” When it came to depicting the intense love and passion between lovers like Tosca and Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca, you do experience some of the most intensely passionate music on the operatic stage, in an attempt to convey truthful situations.
How would you describe Aida to someone who isn’t familiar with the works of Verdi?
Aida is opera on a grand scale. As I rehearse with the chorus, I am reminded of Verdi’s Requiem, which premiered in 1874 and contains equally dramatic choral moments. There are large forces required of the orchestra as well, with members playing offstage. The opera requires mature voices to sing the roles, especially the leads.
So why did we, as a smaller opera company, with very limited resources, decide to undertake this “larger than life” opera? I think Verdi would have been disappointed if performances of Aida were limited to only the largest venues in the world. Yes, these large spaces make for very memorable experiences, but it would be such a shame not to be able to experience the music itself live, even in smaller venues. We’re not trying to compete with the Metropolitan Opera House or the Verona Arena, but I believe one can make a case for the opportunity to experience this or any other grand opera as a community in a more intimate space like the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.
How are you going about casting the roles of Aida?
As with any opera, when it comes to casting roles, there are many factors that go into final decisions. Not only do you have to consider vocal ability and vocal suitability for a role, but credibility for that role is equally important. Will a particular singer be able to portray and convey not only from a vocal point of view, but also from a dramatic point of view? Delivering the text with conviction is a whole other level.
That’s what made a singer such as Maria Callas so great, a perfect combination of vocal and dramatic abilities. The great Russian bass Fyodor Chaliapin was once asked what he would do if he could no longer perform as a singer. His reply was that he would be the greatest actor in the world. Achieving a vocal balance between cast members is also very important, especially for cast members who interact with one another in duets and other ensembles.
Tickets to SOLO’s March 7 production of Aida can be purchased from the Burlington Performing Arts Centre website (click here).
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