Thoughts on Aida

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 11:05pm

I recently saw Aida for the first time and really was not a huge fan. I read the critics response to it and I saw that it was also not very positive. I'm curious to know for those of you on here who saw the show in its Broadway run what you thought of it. I saw that, though the reviews were so negative, it ran for four years, so it must've had some kind of fan support behind it. I'd love to hear some opinions!

[n2nbaby]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 11:09pm

I saw it when it was on tour in 2005 and I loved it. It was also my senior musical in High School.

[Broadwaywest]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 11:35pm

I got to see the show on broadway with the original cast (was able to score front row center orchastra tickets for that one). I actually quite enjoyed it. Yes, there were some issues with the book and music was very elton Johnish. But the performance from Heather Headley made me forget all that. Her first act finally was unbelievable. I also did enjoy Shere Renee Scott as Amneris.In terms of Disney Musicals on broadway next to lion king, it's my favorite.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 11:47pm

I liked the "rock concert" Aida on Broadway with Bob Crowley's pseudo-modern Egyptian inspired sets and costumes. That made the show work for me. Every other time I've seen the show done regionally with more traditional sets and classic Egyptian garb it always felt like the design didn't support the concept and so the show seemed completely lost and uninspired. Updated On: 11/20/10 at 11:47 PM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 11:52pm

Its a fun show, but there's just something off about it. It is a flawed show and some of the music is repetitive and feels out if place. They tried to modernize the classic Verdi opera but its almost as if they only modernized certain aspects. Some of the sets and costumes look like they are from ancient Egypt and others are totally modernized. In my opinion, the show is just kind of inconsistent, but still enjoyable.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 11/20/10 at 11:58pm

This is one of my favorite shows, and I have no shame about that. I know it's deeply flawed, but I loved it so, so much. It was the first show I ever loved, and even knowing that if I had seen it as an adult I might have liked it less, I will always love it for that. And even with perspective gained, I still think the score kicks ass, the recording is beautiful.

Updated On: 11/21/10 at 11:58 PM

[adamgreer]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 12:10am

It's a fun fun show, when presented in the right style. The Broadway production got it right, with the pseudo concert design. I've seen productions where they've tried to play it as a straight up historical piece, and it just doesn't work.

The book is terrible, but I think Elton John's score for this is leagues better than the score of Billy Elliot (and I have no problems saying so). The show won every Tony it was nominated for that year, and I'm convinced if it were nominated for Best Musical, it easily would have won.
Updated On: 11/21/10 at 12:10 AM

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 12:48am

I think it's probably also true that I didn't like the production I saw because few of the people could sing it, and the one person who could (the Aida, who had a marvelous, very Heather Headley voice) couldn't act her way out of a bag.

Adamgreer, I'm surprised you say that about Aida vs. Billy Elliot. Though Billy's score is flawed, I was very moved by Billy as a whole, and especially by the music in context. Aida didn't move me at all. It was almost laughable and silly. The score for Aida is mostly very boring to me, especially in the second act, when things sort of just fell off the edge, I thought.

It seems that I may just be having trouble deciding the problems in the show vs. the problems in the production.

[Here I Am]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 1:33am

'Aida' is one of my favorite shows too... I am also not ashamed to talk about that. I was actually just talking to my friend about this tonight. How a lot of the theatre community frowns upon it, but I find it quite beautiful. Heather Headley and Sherie Rene Scott... there are no words! Unbelievable performances!

[jennafan]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 1:57am

I have to admit I only went to see Aida on Broadway because I was a huge fan of Adam Pascal from RENT.

My mom and I both loved it SO much more than RENT.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:58am

i enjoy the score to AIDA and have seen the national tour numerous times when it was in LA and the OC... i felt the book was the weakest thing about the show... and the songs written for Zoser are incredibly cheesy and made even more ridiculous by the horrible choreography! but I enjoy the musical quite a bit!

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 8:16am

Completely missed the Broadway run, but initially heard bits and pieces of a few songs..."Elaborate Lives," "Dance of The Robe." But just didn't really get into it at first. Later, I heard "Elaborate Lives" in its entirety and really liked it...so I bought the whole recording on iTunes.

The one live production I've seen wasn't great. The non-Equity tour with one cheap set, inconsistent design, a canned orchestra augmented by one keyboard player, and a very hit-or-miss cast. The only two bright spots...the dancing was excellent at times and the actress playing Aida.

But, for all of its flaws, the show had me sobbing at the end of "The Gods Love Nubia" and again at the end of Act II.

I'd definitely love to see a really quality production with a better cast.

[singtopher]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 12:39pm

I saw a tour of it a few years back (not the Broadway production) and it made me want to cut my head off it was so bad.

[mallardo]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 12:58pm

It wasn't terrible but it sure wasn't great. I too saw the original cast and for me Sherie Rene Scott was the standout - probably because My Strongest Suit was so much fun. The comment about Zoser's cheesy songs is right on the money. And although I'm an Adam Pascal fan Radames was not his best role. Heather Headley was terrific but I didn't connect with her songs.

I agree Elton John's score is better than his effort for Billy Elliot - but that's not saying much. Billy Elliot is wonderful DESPITE the score.

[uncageg]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 1:02pm

I saw the tour with Simone in 2001. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to. I actually enjoyed her live performance more than the OBCR.

Posted: 11/21/10 at 2:33pm

I saw it several times during it's pre=-Broadway run and enjoyed it. I thought the critics and Tony Nominators were unjustly vicious- It absolutely would have won "Best Musical" had they nominated it. Headley's performance was spectacular and the design of the production was amazing- one of (if not the) most beautiful shows I've ever seen. I still recall the lights going up on the swimming pool scene and the audience gasping at it.

[Rentfan931]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:14pm

I saw it several times during it's Broadway run including with the original cast, and thought it was enjoyable. I agree with the previous posts on the book being the weakest part of the show, but Heather and Sherie definitely made it more enjoyable.

[Jake01]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:20pm

This was the first show I saw on Broadway, so it holds a special place for me :)
Simone, in the title role, was a tad underwhelming vocally, but she had the regal, princess-in-disguise aspect of the character nailed.
Brantley was right when he called it "a Disney cartoon pretending to be a Broadway musical," but that was mainly the fault of the book. Regardless, I was still moved by the story. I'm not ashamed to say the score is one of my all-time favorites, and it remains of the best-designed shows I've ever seen.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:49pm

i love the design of this show... especially the Nile... and then how the river became like a tent... and while i loved the swimming pool... i hated how they had some mannequin sitting there the entire time... they should have just gotten rid of it... oh and i wasn't quite fond of the jail set design as well... but besides those two minor complaints the show was just beautiful to look at

[Dollypop]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:55pm

As an opera lover I felt it was a piece of crap. I actually walked out on it during the stupid fashion sequence.

Giuseppi Verdi must still be rolling in his grave over that one!

[shomeika]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 7:10pm

Aida is one of my fave shows, ever. I saw it 2x in development in Atlanta, on Broadway once, and the road show as well. The music was amazing, the show visually stunning---I'm a sucker for forbidden love every time.

Posted: 11/21/10 at 7:32pm

Yes Dolly, just as Metastasio rolled in his grave when Verdi took his plot and set it to music.

[bryan2]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 11:36am

Really liked the show on tour Simone was great..very surprised never wanted to see it and loved it

[Roscoe]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 11:39am

Seen better. Seen worse. At least they didn't entirely wimp out on the ending.

[darquegk]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 1:00pm

The deleted song The Messenger gave it a much darker ending even. Instead of being hopeful and reincarnated, the two willingly choose to die, believing that Death will bring an end to all their earthly troubles.