It will be a different representation of Aida, Giuseppe Verdi’s opera, that the Dutch Opera Spanga will be staged on Thursday and Saturday at Pjazza Teatru Rjal, in Valletta.

The production received rave reviews when it was presented as part of the European Capital of Culture programme in Leeuwarden-Fryslân, in the Netherlands.

“It breaks with every convention, which has been the case with director Corina van Eijk since 1989,” commented a Dutch newspaper.

In this dynamic retelling, Corina van Eijk has chosen to set the play in modern times, and not against its traditional Ancient Egyptian backdrop. She made this decision to reflect how Aida’s storyline is unfortunately still as relevant today as when it was written.

Aida is about rivalry, hatred, love and forgiveness, highlighting the futility of war and the destructive potential that is caused when hate exerts its tyrannical rule over a civilisation. War has no place in a modern world and the dynamic visuals and moving music in Aida will contribute to the sense of poignancy which Ms van Eijk has set out to achieve, possibly acting as a cautionary tale for modern times, blurring the boundaries between the ‘virtual’ and the ‘real’ through the use of multimedia techniques.

Maltese soprano Francesca Aquilina made her debut appearance with Opera Spanga in Aida in the Netherlands. She will be performing here too, alongside a highly-acclaimed international cast. The event is part of the Valletta 2018 programme of activities.

The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will be in attendance and costumes were designed by award-winning Dutch-Maltese couturiers Charles & Ron, with the support of students from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology.

For more information go to www.showshappening.com.