Editing Aida (section)

==Elements of the opera's genesis and sources==
[[Isma'il Pasha]], [[Khedive]] of Egypt, commissioned Verdi to write an opera to celebrate the opening of the [[Suez Canal]], but Verdi declined.{{sfn|Greene|1985|p=622}} However, [[Auguste Mariette]], a French [[Egyptology|Egyptologist]], proposed to Khedive Pasha a plot for a celebratory opera set in ancient Egypt.{{sfn|Greene|1985|p=622}}{{sfn|Sadie|Macy|2006|p=9}} Khedive Pasha referred Mariette to theatre manager [[Camille du Locle]], who sent Mariette's story idea to Verdi. Eventually, Verdi agreed to compose an opera based on that story, for 150,000 francs.{{sfn|Greene|1985|p=622}}

Because the scenery and costumes were stuck in the French capital during the [[Siege of Paris (1870–71)]] of the ongoing [[Franco-Prussian War]],  the premiere was delayed and Verdi's ''[[Rigoletto]]'' was performed instead. The first opera performed at the [[Khedivial Opera House]], ''Aida'' eventually premiered in Cairo on 24 December 1871.{{sfn|Sadie|Macy|2006|p=9}}<ref>{{cite book|last=McCullough|first=David|title=The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914|url=https://archive.org/details/pathbetweenseas00davi|page=[https://archive.org/details/pathbetweenseas00davi/page/54/mode/2up?q=aida 54]|year=1977|place=New York|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=0-7432-6213-1|url-access=registration|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>