Review: 'Aida' has Disney feel, both good and bad

By Rena Archwamety, Special to The Capital Times

The love story of Aida and Radames is one that crosses the sands of time -- literally.

Elton John and Tim Rice's musical "Aida," which played Thursday to a nearly full house at the Overture Center, is a modern retelling of a love story set in ancient Egypt, loosely based on the plot of Giuseppe Verdi's opera of the same name.

In the musical, Aida is a Nubian princess who is captured and brought as a slave to Egypt, where she falls in love with a general of the Egyptian army. Like a modern (or ancient) Romeo and Juliet, the two realize that their love can bring nothing but destruction to themselves and their warring homelands.

Originally produced by Disney, this version of "Aida" brings a strong contemporary beat to the music, costumes and overall dynamic of the story.

The production begins with present-day people admiring a museum display titled "Nubia: The Other Egypt." Soon the Egyptian princess Amneris, played by Leah Allers, emerges above them in an elaborate headdress to serenade the audience back in time.

The "past," however, is not what one might expect of a story set in the time of the pharaohs, set to modern rock, gospel and ballads and costumes ranging from flare-legged bodysuits and jersey dresses to modern military apparel.

A modern theme also emerges as the Egyptians, played mostly by fair-complected actors, are portrayed as materialistic, ruthless and power-hungry colonialists. The Nubians, played mostly by black actors, are portrayed as tribal, poor and oppressed.

The balance of the two groups is starkly similar to that of the European explorers and American Indian tribes in Disney's "Pocahontas," with the love story of Aida and Radames not too far from that of Pocahontas and John Smith.

"Aida" resembled a Disney animated movie in other ways as well, some good and some bad.

The music was excellent, and the colors, costumes, sets and choreography were dazzling to watch. The scenes, on the other hand, often seemed trite and cartoonish, and the characters over-exaggerated.

Such was the case with the Egyptian commander Zoser, played by DJ Rudd, as the relentless, sniveling and unsympathetic villain. At times even Aida, played by Marja Harmon, let the strong, self-sufficient heroine override the more emotional and conflicted side of the character.

Ironically, Allers, as the shallow and materialistic Amneris, showed the most depth in her performance as the princess quietly realizes that her betrothed Radames is falling in love with another woman. Her struggle to do what is right for her love, her country and her own heart could have made her the heroine in another version of the story.

Without giving away the end, the final scene does manage to merge the past smoothly with the present, and with a stretch of imagination, even reconcile the odd mix of ancient and present tense.

While the musical's modern take on the beloved opera classic may not be everyone's preferred version, the production pleased the audience, which rewarded the cast with a standing ovation.