Scene 2. Brilliant indeed is the spectacle to which _Aïda_ is
compelled to proceed with the Princess. It is near a group of palms at the entrance to the city of Thebes that the _King_ has elected to give _Rhadames_ his triumph. Here stands the temple of Ammon. Beyond it a triumphal gate has been erected. When the _King_ enters to the cheers of the multitude and followed by his gaudily clad court, he takes his seat on the throne surmounted by a purple canopy. To his left sits _Amneris_, singling out for her disdainful glances the most unhappy of her slaves.
A blast of trumpets, and the victorious army begins its defile past the throne. After the foot soldiers come the chariots of war; then the bearers of the sacred vases and statues of the gods, and a troupe of dancing girls carrying the loot of victory. A great flourish of trumpets, an outburst of acclaim, and _Rhadames_, proudly standing under a canopy borne high on the shoulders of twelve of his officers, is carried through the triumphal gate and into the presence of his _King_. As the young hero descends from the canopy, the monarch, too, comes down from the throne and embracing him exclaims:
"Savior of your country, I salute you. My daughter with her own hand shall place the crown of laurels upon your brow." And when _Amneris_, suiting her action to her father's words, crowns _Rhadames_, the _King_ continues: "Now ask of me whatever you most desire. I swear by my crown and by the sacred gods that nothing shall be denied to you this day!"
But although no wish is nearer the heart of _Rhadames_ than to obtain freedom for _Aïda_, he does not consider the moment as yet opportune. Therefore he requests that first the prisoners of war be brought before the _King_. When they enter, one of them, by his proud mien and spirited carriage, easily stands forth from the rest. Hardly has _Aïda_ set eyes upon him than she utters the startled exclamation, "My father!"
It is indeed none other than _Amonasro_, the Ethiopian king, who, his identity unknown to the Egyptians, has been made captive by them. Swiftly gliding over to where _Aïda_ stands, he whispers to her not to betray his rank to his captors. Then, turning to the Egyptian monarch, he craftily describes how he has seen the king of Ethiopia dead at his feet from many wounds, and concludes by entreating clemency for the conquered. Not only do the other captives and _Aïda_ join in his prayer, but the people, moved by his words and by his noble aspect, beg their king to spare the prisoners. The priests, however, protest. The gods have delivered these enemies into the hands of Egypt; let them be put to death lest, emboldened by a pardon so easily obtained, they should rush to arms again.
Meanwhile _Rhadames_ has had eyes only for _Aïda_, while _Amneris_ notes with rising jealousy the glances he turns upon her hated slave. At last _Rhadames_, carried away by his feelings, himself joins in the appeal for clemency. "Oh, _King_," he exclaims, "by the sacred gods and by the splendour of your crown, you swore to grant my wish this day! Let it be life and liberty for the Ethiopian prisoners." But the high priest urges that even if freedom is granted to the others, _Aïda_ and her father be detained as hostages and this is agreed upon. Then the _King_, as a crowning act of glory for _Rhadames_, leads _Amneris_ forth, and addressing the young warrior, says:
"_Rhadames_, the country owes everything to you. Your reward shall be the hand of _Amneris_. With her one day you shall reign over Egypt."
A great shout goes up from the multitude. Unexpectedly _Amneris_ sees herself triumphant over her rival, the dream of her heart fulfilled, and _Aïda_ bereft of hope, since for _Rhadames_ to refuse the hand of his king's daughter would mean treason and death. And so while all seemingly are rejoicing, two hearts are sad and bewildered. For _Aïda_, the man she adores appears lost to her forever and all that is left to her, the tears of hopeless love; while to _Rhadames_ the heart of _Aïda_ is worth more than the throne of Egypt, and its gift, with the hand of _Amneris_, is like the unjust vengeance of the gods descending upon his head.
This is the finale of the second act. It has been well said that not only is it the greatest effort of the composer, but also one of the grandest conceptions of modern musical and specifically operatic art. The importance of the staging, the magnificence of the spectacle, the diversity of characterization, and the strength of action of the drama all conspire to keep at an unusually high level the inspiration of the composer. The triumphal chorus, "Gloria all'Egitto" (Glory to Egypt), is sonorous and can be rendered with splendid effect.
It is preceded by a march.
[Music]
Then comes the chorus of triumph.
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Voices of women join in the acclaim.
[Music]
The trumpets of the Egyptian troops execute a most brilliant modulation from A-flat to B-natural.
The reference here is to the long, straight trumpets with three valves (only one of which, however, is used). These trumpets, in groups of three, precede the divisions of the Egyptian troops. The trumpets of the first group are tuned in A-flat.
[Music]
When the second group enters and intones the same stirring march theme in B-natural, the enharmonic modulation to a tone higher gives an immediate and vastly effective "lift" to the music and the scene.
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The entrance of _Rhadames_, borne on high under a canopy by twelve officers, is a dramatic climax to the spectacle. But a more emotional one is to follow.
The recognition of _King Amonasro_ by his daughter; the supplication of the captives; the plea of _Rhadames_ and the people in their favour; the vehement protests of the priests who, in the name of the gods of Egypt, demand their death; the diverse passions which agitate _Rhadames_, _Aïda_, and _Amneris_; the hope of vengeance that _Amonasro_ cherishes--all these conflicting feelings are musically expressed with complete success. The structure is reared upon _Amonasro's_ plea to the _King_ for mercy for the Ethiopian captives, "Ma tu, re, tu signore possente" (But thou, O king, thou puissant lord).
[Music]
When the singer who takes the rôle of _Amonasro_ also is a good actor, he will know how to convey, between the lines of this supplication, his secret thoughts and unavowed hope for the reconquest of his freedom and his country. After the Egyptian _King_ has bestowed upon _Rhadames_ the hand of _Amneris_, the chorus, "Gloria all'Egitto," is heard again, and, above its sonorous measures, _Aïda's_ cry:
What hope now remains to me? To him, glory and the throne; To me, oblivion--the tears Of hopeless love.
It is largely due to Verdi's management of the score to this elaborate scene that "Aïda" not only has superseded all spectacular operas that came before it, but has held its own against and survived practically all those that have come since. The others were merely spectacular. In "Aïda" the surface radiates and glows because beneath it seethe the fires of conflicting human passion. In other operas spectacle is merely spectacle. In "Aïda" it clothes in brilliant habiliments the forces of impending and on-rushing tragedy.