Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida

Today is my sister's two year anniversary with her girlfriend.  It hasn't been an easy road for either of them, but I am glad to see that they are willing to work together through the rough spots.  It's really what a grown-up relationship is about and I'm glad that my sister has found someone with whom she can be happy even through the worst of times.   They are going to see a production of Wicked in Atlanta to celebrate.  Neither of them has seen the play, only heard the music, and I am loathe to tell them anything about it.  Though I did tell my sister that the ending was not what I expected. (She reads this blog, so I won't go into detail.)

This started us on a discussion of  "uplifting" musicals we've seen.  Starting with Les Miserables, which is probably one of the most depressing stories ever.  But such a wonderful show that I have seen it several times.  Then on to Phantom of the Opera, which seems happy in theory but really the Phantom is a sad character.  Finally, my sister brings up Aida.

Many years ago, my father took us to see the  Disney production of Aida, written by Elton John and Tim Rice, and I find I often think of it.  At the time, I identified a lot with the character of Amneris.  She's in love/engaged to Radames and he's in love with Aida.  In any love triangle, I will always identify with the one that has been left behind; Amneris, Eponine, Duckie. 

We talked about the oh so "happy" ending where Aida and Radames are buried alive together but find each other again thousands of years later in their reincarnated forms.  Which is all well and good for Aida and Radames but what about Amneris?  Oh sure, she gets to be queen and rule over Egypt.

Then I realized that I've been thinking about this musical in completely the wrong fashion.  Sure Aida and Radames confessed undying love for each other and get a second chance to have a life together.  But Amneris is really the winner here.  Had she and Radames married, he would have become Pharoah in Egypt and she would have continued on as merely his wife, pretending to be content to throw parties and wear fashionable clothes for attention.  If he hadn't met Aida when he did, he most likely would have still gone on to extra-marital affairs and both he and Amneris would have lived an unhappy and empty life alone together.

But, thankfully, he did cheat on his fiancée and betray his entire country in the name of love or something like that.   Amneris had to assume the throne upon the death of her father, since there was no husband in sight, and subsequently brought about a generation of peace and prosperity to her people.  Of course, she then at to sit in judgement of her former fiancé in court, which is always awkward.   But being a new leader and knowing that her former lover was involved in honest to goodness treason, Amneris had little choice but to uphold the laws of her people in his punishment.  Plus there is the added bonus of burying her ex and his lover alive together.  It's really a win-win-win when you think about it.