VA National Ballet presents the World Premiere of AIDA

AIDA – World Premiere by Virginia National Ballet

Hylton Performing Arts Center

10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, VA 20110

Sat., February 17th, 2018, 2pm & 7:30 pm

$15 - $35

Tickets available at the Hylton Box Office or online at tickets.com after January 1.

http://hyltoncenter.org/calendar/1114/

http://gainesvilleballetcompany.org/aida/

Don’t miss the World Premiere Ballet AIDA set to Verdi’s stunning music. The first full-length ballet of AIDA, this heart-wrenching story of two lovers from warring countries who must choose between love or country is choreographed by Rafik Hegab, who brings a unique, authentic Pharonic flavor to the production and its beautiful sets and costumes. This stellar troupe of dancers hailing from the US, Brazil, and Japan also bring their own unique backgrounds to the work.

Virginia National Ballet, led by Artistic Director Rafik Hegab, has established itself in the region by consistently presenting exciting world premieres each season and offering not only classical ballet but also neo-classical and contemporary works to a wide range of music including classical, opera, contemporary, and hard rock, is continuing this tradition with the World Premiere of the Ballet Aida on Saturday, February 17th, 2018 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.

Aida is based on the famous opera by Giuseppe Verdi, and uses the orchestral score from the opera with the addition of orchestration for the vocal lines. This is the first time that any ballet company in the world has created a full- length ballet of Aida. The opera Aida is a classic staple of every major opera company with its gorgeous music and heart wrenching story. Elton John created a Broadway Musical of Aida, in a rock-music style, based on a children’s story adaption. The Virginia National Ballet version is closer to the Verdi opera, using the original story and music, without voices. The opera is four acts and 2.5 hours. The Virginia National Ballet production will be condensed to two acts and 1.5 hours.

The story is an epic tale of the struggle between choosing love or country. Aida is a slave in ancient Egypt, serving Amneris, the daughter of the King of Egypt, who is unaware that Aida is actually the Princess of Ethiopia, with whom they are at war. The Egyptian warrior Radames and Aida have secretly fallen in love. Amneris is also in love with Radames, but he does not return her feelings. She discovers their secret. Rather than renouncing each other’s love, separating forever and pledging loyalty to their countries, Radames and Aida choose to die together in the Egyptian tomb.

Artistic Director and Choreographer Rafik Hegab is originally from Egypt, where he was a Principal Dancer with the Cairo Opera Ballet Company. He performed in the opera Aida many times (the opera contains a short ballet section.) This was his inspiration to create a full-length ballet of Aida. He will be incorporating authentic pharaonic style into the classical ballet choreography, and will also oversee the creation of authentic Egyptian sets and costumes for a spectacular event. Patrons will be able to purchase Egyptian merchandise during the intermission.