How big is 'Aida'? It takes the voices of both Lee and Collier counties, and principals with wings

By some African proverbs it takes a village to develop a child. To develop a mammoth opera like "Aida" in Naples, however, it will take:

• vocal power from both Collier and Lee counties
• trunkloads of costumes from Pensacola
• flights from as far away as Vilnius, Lithuania and Zurich to bring in the stars. 

The effort is worth it. This is likely the Southwest Florida premiere of the grandest of Giuseppe Verdi's operas, the first time it has been staged here in its 148 years. "Aida" opens Wednesday, Dec. 19, for two performances at Artis—Naples. (See information box for details.)

While it's considered one of Verdi's top three operas, it's rarely done by a regional company because it's such a massive production. There's a huge chorus —100 voices here — for the work's famous triumphal march and its temple ensemble scenes. There's also something of a high bar for trappings: Opera companies from Connecticut to Shanghai have even marched live camels and elephants in their triumphal march scenes, the zenith of a truly grand "Aida." 

Previously:Opera Naples brings 'Aida,' Calleja

And:Opera Naples, TheatreZone stage 'Aida' from Verdi, Elton John

For stage director Chuck Hudson, that's a pyramid too far. He wants to focus on the romantic tale of an Ethiopian princess and an Egyptian warrior, star-crossed amid the enmity of their two countries, and stymied by a powerful third point in the love triangle.

"This is really a story of six people," explained Hudson. "You have Aida and Radames, who are in love with each other. You have Amneris, the princess who loves Radames as well. You have her father, the king, and Aida's father, the king of Ethiopia, with these two nationalist warring governments. And you have Ramfis, the high priest who has Radames' fate in his hands."

Everyone is hamstrung in some way, he said. Hudson has a particular sympathy for Amneris. The Egyptian princess' unrequited love for Radames becomes a lightning rod between her and Aida, who as a prisoner of war has been pressed into service as Amneris' slave.

"Amneris is not this devil bitch. She is a woman of authority without power," Hudson said. Further, Amneris is a woman whose love has not been returned, a second potent toxin. 

Last week the company was assessing every moment of that in a scene between Marianne Cornetti, who has sung this role at La Scala and Deutsche Oper Berlin, among others. Behind them, Stephanie Canada, stage manager, would soon dart in to substitute for a rod carrier who hasn't been added to the mix yet in its three weeks of rehearsal. 

"It's a tight rehearsal process of three weeks, with one week of tech rehearsal — and with all the expectations of a Met (Metropolitan Opera) production," acknowledged Hudson. "But we're flying in incredibly talented singers, most of whom have sung 'Aida.' The quality of these shows is already high because of the talent being cast in it."

Aksenova is in her first role as Aida. But as a novice she is buoyed by a foundation of veterans. Singers like tenor Marc Heller, who plays Radames, have sung it at least seven times: Heller even performed "Aida" in Cairo, with the famous pyramids as his backdrop.

James Patterson of Estero, who teaches voice at FGCU, and who plays the Eqgyptian king, has sung "Aida" probably 10 times, and is happy to be back onstage, he said: "I did this exclusively till I was 40," he said of opera work. 

This week Hudson was instilling visible electricity of movements between Cornetti and the production's Aida, Svetlana Aksenova. ("You want to swallow her head," he told one of the pair as Aksenova prepared to pull a goblet away from Cornetti in the first act). 

Cincinnati native Canada, in between following the instructions for every scene that Hudson delivered, was assembling the patterns to feed people onto the stage for its ensemble scenes.

While there may be no camels, elephants or a 20-dancer corps from a resident ballet company such as the majors have, the Act 2 triumphal march will still be a showcase, a challenging one for even the 44- by 66-stage of Artis—Naples. Canada isn't fazed.

"I see it as a puzzle that needs to be assembled so that the director's vision — not mine — is executed," she said. 

Much of that puzzle will include finding places for the Opera Naples Chorus, the Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida and some singers from Ave Maria University, all of whom have so far focused their work on the music, rather than steps and spaces onstage.

While the Symphonic Chorale has sung large works, this is definitely the largest production it has ever sung in, said Joanne Paulino, one of the chorale's founders.

And while it's perhaps not the most musically difficult, she said learning the timing is critical: "You may be singing for 15 bars, then all of a sudden you're singing for two. You really have to listen to the score."

But it's a thrill to the group and director Trent Brown, she said: "We were really excited to be asked to be part of this."

Brown said to have an opera of this magnitude in Southwest Florida is a rare opportunity: "If someone was able to bring the Sistine Chapel here for an afternoon, I think few people would miss the opportunity to go see it. "Aida"  is on the same level. I hope people come out and really enjoy it."

'Aida'

What: Opera Naples fully staged production of Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida," featuring guest artists and the Opera Naples Chorus, the Symphonic Chorale of Southwest Florida, members of the Ave Maria University chorus and the Naples Philharmonic, Ramón Tebar, artistic director of Opera Naples conducting

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, Dec. 19 and Dec. 21

Where: Hayes Hall, Artis—Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples

Tickets: $25-$115

To buy:artisnaples.org, by phone 239-597-1900 or at the box office