Zubin Mehta conducts 'Aida', Verdi’s most spectacular and over-the-top opera, in a production from the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Starring Marco Berti, Luciana D’Intino and Hui He. Verdi’s 'Aida' is one of the most popular operas of all time. It premiered at the Cairo Opera House on Christmas Eve, 1871, and was an immediate commercial success. The plot of 'Aida' is filled with political intrigue, love, betrayal, passion, and vengeance, and has captivated audiences for generations. What piqued general curiosity about this production of 'Aida' was undoubtedly the operatic debut of Ferzan Ozpetek, a Turkish auteur who, after settling in Italy as a student, has become one of the most prominent directors of Italian cinema in the last decade, directing acclaimed films as “La finestra di fronte” (Facing Windows) and “Mine Vaganti” (Loose Cannons). Live recording from The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence 2011