The Sunday Opera: Verdi's "Aida" from the San Francisco Opera

Performances from the San Francisco Opera continue on this weeks’ Sunday Opera (9/17 3 p.m.) with another tale of doomed love in Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida.”   Leah Crocetto sings the title role, Brian Jagde is her Radames, and Ekaterina Semenchuk is the spurned Amneris.  They’re joined by George Gagnidze as Amonasro, Raymond Aceto as Ramfis, and Anthony Reed as the King of Egypt.  Nicola Luisotti conducts.  Stay tuned after the opera for some interesting Verdi including the sinfonia for “Aida” that was written, but never used, for the opera’s European premier in 1887 as well as another rarity, Verdi’s Variations for Pianoforte and Orchestra based on a “romance” from the forgotten opera “Tebaldo e Isolina” by Francesco Morlacchi.  Also included is Verdi’s only String Quartet (in E min) and five of his 8 Romances for Tenor and Orchestra featuring tenor Jose Carreras.