PRESS: Cape Town Opera presents a bold reimagining of Verdi’s AIDA at Artscape in May

Allison Foat

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Cape Town Opera (CTO) presents Verdi’s AIDA from 23 to 31 May 2025 at Artscape. Set against a backdrop of war, forbidden love, betrayal, and cultural conflict, CTO’s Artistic Director, Magdalene Minnaar, unveils a bold, African futuristic reimagining of this iconic opera.

Lukhanyo Moyake (Ramesès) , Nonhlanhla Yende (Amneris), Nobulumko Mngxekeza (Aida), Conroy Scott (Amonasro). Photo by Nardus Engelbrecht.

Featuring an all-South African cast, this new production transports the opera into a vivid, imagined milieu, where visual storytelling merges with cutting-edge animation and a striking minimalist set design.

The stellar cast features guest artist Nobulumko Mngxekeza in the eponymous role, with the recently appointed Cape Town Opera Soloist Nonhlanhla Yende as Amneris.

The male leads are CTO House Soloists Lukhanyo Moyake as Radamès and Conroy Scott as Amonasro. In other roles, Ntuthuko Ziqubu is the King of Egypt, Lonwabo Mose is Ramfis, Van Wyk Venter is the Messenger, and Khayakazi Madlala is the High Priestess.

Guest artist Nobulumko Mngxekeza (Aida). Photo by Nardus Engelbrecht.

AIDA follows the doomed romance between Aida and the Egyptian military commander Radamès. Torn between love and loyalty, the characters navigate the complexities of personal and national allegiances. With a 52-member chorus and the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra under the expert baton of Kamal Khan, Cape Town Opera’s AIDA promises to be an extraordinary experience and a technical highlight of 2025.

Under Minnaar’s skilful direction, the production explores the opera’s themes through a fresh cultural lens with a curated, avant-garde aesthetic. The integration of bold geometric forms, innovative costuming, and immersive lighting design creates a stage that is both grand and intimate. Gregory Maqoma’s distinvtive choreography infuses the production with a unique rhythm, adding depth and dynamism and featuring dancers from Jazzart. 

This inventive interpretation of AIDA aims to feel unexpected yet deeply resonant, leaving audiences captivated by a new vision of one of the world’s most famous operas. The stellar creative team includes Roman Handt on costumes, Louis and Nadine Minnaar on production design, Oliver Hauser on lighting, and animation by Werner Burger and Louis Minnaar at Albino Creations.

Cape Town Opera House Soloist Nonhlanhla Yende (Amneris). Photo by Nardus Engelbrecht.

AIDA will be sung in Italian with surtitles in English and isiXhosa. With the powerful Cape Town Opera Chorus and Verdi’s rousing score, the musical force of this production promises to be nothing short of spectacular. Don’t miss it!

AIDA is made possible through the invaluable support of our Presenting Sponsor, the Christian Ludolph Marais Trust, as well as the Judith Neilson Foundation, the Rupert Music Foundation, and the City of Cape Town.

AIDA runs at the Artscape Opera House on Friday 23 May at 7pm, Sunday 25 May at 3pm, Tuesday 27 May at 7pm, Thursday 29 May at 7pm and Saturday 31 May at 3pm. Tickets cost from R190 through Webtickets.

Advance booking is highly recommended. Please note, no under 5’s are permitted.