Arizona Opera will make history with a first-of-its-kind production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida,” with April performances coming up in Phoenix and Tucson.

The show will combine live operatic performance with an unprecedented feature-length generative AI film.

This reimagining will feature a futuristic vision of ancient Egypt, with more than 100 live singers and musicians performing alongside cinematic projections. The combination of one of the oldest performing art forms with one of the newest technologies will bring Egypt to life through a projection-based concert production in the first Arizona Opera performances of “Aida” in over a decade.

“It’s about expanding artistic possibilities, it’s about employing more artists, pushing creative boundaries, and reimaging what opera can be while honoring its timeless traditions,” Joe Specter, Arizona Opera president and general director, said in a trailer the company produced for the new production.

Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 12, and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 13 at Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. 2nd St. There will then be a performance at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tucson.

Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, “Aida” premiered in Cairo in 1871. It tells the story of forbidden love amidst political intrigue and war.

The production features soprano Leah Hawkins making her role debut as Aida. Hawkins received the 2024 Beverly Sills Artist Award from the Metropolitan Opera, having also performed in Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” and “X: The life and Times of Malcolm X,” at the opera house during the 2023-24 season.

“Aida” is directed by David Murakami.

Arizona Opera, originally the Tucson Opera Company, was founded in 1971.

Visit azopera.org, call 602-266-7464 or email boxoffice@azopera.org.