Operawire.com
Sabrina Matthews
March 24, 2026
Those accustomed to the grandeur of larger houses like the Metropolitan Opera might approach a performance at the Virginia Opera with moderated expectations, but the company proves such caution unnecessary. While the scale may be smaller and simpler, Virginia Opera consistently delivers excellent vocal talents and imaginative stagings that make the most of their admittedly limited budget. This season’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” is no exception.
The production had recently been announced as a planned opera in concert, which seemed particularly likely after the withdrawal of the NEA grant that was earmarked to support the 2024-25 season world premiere of their brilliant commissioned work, “Loving V. Virginia.” Happily, the company was able to raise enough money for a staged production. With the agreement and commitment of the artists, “Aida” came together in less than two weeks of rehearsal, or a grand total of 240 hours, give or take the time people may or may not have taken to sleep. The carefully embroidered characters each singer brings utterly bely the short rehearsal time they shared, and their coordinated performances far exceed what one might expect from a longer time frame.