Passion, duty, and family collide against the backdrop of war in Verdi’s grand opera. As Ancient Egypt and Ethiopia clash, the Egyptian general Radamès and the enslaved Ethiopian Aida—secretly a princess—embark on a forbidden romance that could change the fate of their nations. Aida’s father, Amonasro, and the Egyptian princess Amneris—who also loves Radamès—maneuver to shape destinies and test loyalties. Powerful arias, thrilling choruses, and spectacular sets and costumes bring this tale of devotion, betrayal, and sacrifice vividly to life.
Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents this brand-new production of Verdi’s Aida, brought to life by local artists and craftspeople in Kansas City.
Meet the Artists
Michelle Bradley
Aida
Sarah Saturnino
Amneris
Yonghoon Lee*
Radamès
Ron Dukes*
Ramphis
Bethany Jelinek^
High Priestess
Adam Lau
King of Egypt
David Pelino^
A Messenger
Gerard Schwarz
Conductor
Keturah Stickann
Director
Nora Winsler
Assistant Director
Steven C. Kemp
Set Designer
Driscoll Otto
Lighting Designer
David Zimmerman
Wig and Makeup Designer
Soprano
- Lauren Auge@
- Judy Bliss
- Payton Boldt@
- LaTeesha M. Jackson
- Jie Li*
- Virenia Lind
- Kathryn Long
- Kristin Newbegin
- Mary Lou Pagano
- Rachel Priest
- Yiyu Tang*
- Kelli Van Meter
Mezzo-Soprano
- Rebecca Allen
- Sarah Baxter
- Ashley Beth Burnett
- Prenicia Clifton
- Jennifer Forman
- Elaine Fox@
- Lisa Marie Gerstenkorn*
- Lindsay James
- Anna Patterson
- Julia Scozzafava@
- Emma WitbolsFeugen
- Kaitlyn York
Tenor
- Tytus Abrahamson@
- Nico Caruso
- Zachary K. Devin@
- Drew Duncan
- Andrew Flanagin
- Trent Green
- David Helder
- Jonathon Moldovan
- Jedd C. Schneider
- Kevin Thomas Smith
- Brian Sussman
- Shuqi Zhang*
Bass-Baritone
- Matt Black
- Phil Eatherton
- Colt Hoselton
- Kailun Hu*
- Samuel Leopold*
- Josh Markley
- Spencer McIntire
- Terence Murphy@
- Evan J. Nelson
- Brian Keith Smith Jr.
- Nathan Whitson
- Ron Witzke
*Lyric Opera Debut
^Lyric Opera Resident Artist
@Former Lyric Opera Resident/Apprentice Artist
Listen to the Music
Sponsors
The 2026–2027 season is sponsored by the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts; the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation; the Lyric Opera of Kansas City Foundation; and R.C. Kemper Charitable Trust and Foundation, UMB Bank, n.a., Trustee; with public support from Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.
Aida is supported, in part, by the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts, the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation, the Lyric Opera Circle, Ann Baum, G. Kenneth & Ann Baum Philanthropic Fund, the Dr. Gary Grunewald Charitable Fund, Edward P. Milbank, Northern Trust Company, Kent Sunderland & Hannah Snider, and a consortium of individual donors.
