The time-honored tale of an Ethiopian princess, captured and brought into slavery in Egypt, commanded a rapt audience in Bay Ridge when starry-eyed students performed “Aida” at Xaverian High School.
Budding actors from the drama group staged the four-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, transforming the auditorium of the school, 1700 Shore Road, into a mini-Lincoln Center.
The costumed crew brought the timeless love story to life with Josephine Spada, Anthony Liatsis and Amanda Magnavita in the lead roles.
Aida is an Arabic female name, meaning “visitor,” or “returning.” In Swahili, it is a female name meaning “reward.”