Aida

Opera North’s semi-staged version of Aida toured concert venues during spring 2019.

The open staging referenced the Syrian location in which this version is set using symbolic gestural motifs and drone shot footage from Aleppo linking the bombed out and battle scarred parallels with the original conflict in which the opera is set. As well as the drone footage the video material was all collaboratively filmed and created with set and costume designer Joanna Parker and included live camera feed.

The imagery was mapped to a custom made screen representing materials from current refugee camps and the overall intention was to examine the underlying consequences and trauma of both ancient and modern warfare and its psychological damage to the participants.

This was the fourth collaboration between Dick Straker, Joanna Parker and Annabel Arden and the second with this team and Opera North.

Client:
Opera North

Location:
Touring, 2019

Services:
Video & Projection Design
Content Creation

Team:
Video Designer: Dick Straker
Programmer: Dan Trenchard

Production Credits:
Director: Annabel Arden
Production Designer: Joanna Parker

Photos:
© Mesmer