Aida

One might expect an opera staged by the man who made the 1973 horror movie classic The Exorcist to be unusual, even outrageous, but this 2015 Turin revival of film director William Friedkin's 2005 take on Verdi's popular 1871 warhorse about the clash between love and politics in ancient Egypt proves to be ultra-traditional—even staid. The singers are firmly planted while delivering their arias, and they move about with grand gestures as troupes of acrobats and dancers enter for the orchestral interludes. Nor are the sets and costumes innovative, scrupulously reflecting holdings from the city's recently-reopened Museo Egizio, which boasts the largest relevant collection outside of Cairo. The result, while often visually evocative, is still a trifle enervating, and the musical elements are variable. Gianandrea Noseda conducts the company orchestra and chorus in a reading that emphasizes refinement over excitement, and the only singer to stand out is Anita Rachvelishvili as Amneris, the Egyptian princess whose jealousy over the love between general Radamès and the Ethiopian slave Aida leads to their doom. As her rival for Radamès's affection, Kristin Lewis proves to be a vocally sweet but slightly pallid Aida, while Marco Berti makes a beefy Radamès, both physically and vocally. The rest of the supporting players are at best adequate, with Mark Doss particularly gravelly-voiced as Aida's father Amonasro. While this staging offers no special insight into the opera and is hobbled by some vocal flaws, it does present a reading of Verdi's monumental work that should appeal to traditionalists. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray release) and PCM stereo, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)