Aida is the opera that has it all. The story is exciting. The music is splendid and, from start to finish, memorably melodic. And the epic, cast-of-thousands sprawl of the drama is so vividly captured by Verdi's score that you can literally see its splendor simply by listening. This is what grand opera is all about. But the ultimate grandeur in Aida is the supreme genius of Verdi, experienced here in peak form.