 | Aida Review | |
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Artists: James Taylor • Tina Turner • Sting • Lulu • Janet
Jackson • Boyz II Men • Dru Hill • LeAnn Rimes • Spice Girls •
Shania Twain
Release Date March 23, 1999
As usual the best way for me to give you quick Aida Review hints
is to answer my own Questionnaire
Is this a good one to watch overall?
Definitely yes, no question about it. This is a nice solidly made
masterpiece of Elton John and Tim Rice; Nice contemporary
musical tale about love between a soldier and a princess – love
that eventually condemns them to death, but finally transcends
the gigantic artistic differences between the two warring sides,
heralding an unprecedented time of peace and prosperity. With a
pop-rock score that features stirring ballads and rousing choral
numbers, Elton John’s AIDA is a present mass pleaser that
embraces multi-cultural casting and energetic dancing,
dramatization and singing.
Will Aida be watched with real interest in 50 years from now?
Absolutely. I was lucky to see Aida in its preview in New York last
year. What a great musical! The whole story is based on original
opera Aida in which a Nubian princess enslaved in Egypt falls in
love with her defeater. There are a few triangles in the story:
Aida and Amneris (for whom Aida is a handmaid) both love
Radames; Aida is ragged between Radames and her duty to her
people; Radames is torn between his prospect as Pharaoh and
his Aida... and so forth. The performances from the main players
are amazing. Heather Headley will completely blow you away. I
had not heard her in the Lion King, but my understanding is that
she was very good in it. Her voice is so rich and filled; she is able
to communicate every possible emotion. One crack, and we know
precisely how she is feeling. Aida goes through so many
conflicting emotions and Headley is so controlling that you feel
how torn Aida is.
Sherie Rene Scott is also great as Amneris. She has a brilliant
voice that is unluckily a bit overshadowed by Headley. However,
she has the most amusing song, "My Strongest Suit", a definite
Elton John song about fashion. She also is great as Amneris
discovers Aida and Radames' affair in "I Know the Truth". You
can feel her soreness.
Adam Pascal did not play Radames in New York, but he does a
fine job on the disk. His voice lends well to the duets with
Headley and the trios that include Scott. My only problem was
that I didn't buy either woman loving him. To me, he wasn't quite
a catch. But I guess the story wouldn't work without that whole
love angle.
If you only listen to one song on this soundtrack, listen to "The
Gods Love Nubia". This is an epic in and of itself. It has a
spiritual sound to it, which is very appropriate for a song from the
slaves. This song will knock you off your feet.
This is a fabulous musical that I hope everyone has a chance to
see. The music is affectionate and well written, showing that
collaboration between John and Rice is a match made in heaven.
So in this Aida Review I can definitely say – this musical is from
that long time survivor category.
