Despite royal treatment, Drury Lane's 'Aida' falls short

Every show needs a sturdy foundation. A solid book and score are as important to a musical as a steel frame is to a skyscraper. Without them, you're left with a house of cards: interesting to look at, impressive for the care it takes to construct, but ultimately a creation without much substance.

So it is with “Aida,” the pop-infused re-imagining of Giuseppe Verdi's opera about the ill-fated romance between Egyptian soldier Radames and his captive, Aida, a beautiful Nubian princess.

Even director-choreographer Jim Corti's slick revival for Drury Lane Theatre — featuring an attractive ensemble distinguished by exceptional voices — can't patch the cracks in the show's foundation.

The problems rest with the unremarkable score by Elton John and Tim Rice. “Aida” also suffers from a muddled book (that'll happen with three writers) by Linda Woolverton, Goodman Theatre's Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang. The story tries to be both tragic and comic, and fails at both.

Had the show focused on the former — forbidden love, sacrifice, duty and the racial divisions brought on by the subjugation of an indigenous people by a colonial power — “Aida” might have been a musical worthy of the opera that inspired it. Unfortunately, clumsy, inexplicable attempts at comedic relief undermine its gravity.

The show is further burdened by an unnecessary framing device where Aida and Radames' modern-day counterparts meet at a museum. It's meant to suggest the timelessness of their love story, but, frankly, the gimmick gets in the way.

In Drury Lane's glossy incarnation, it's the Louvre whose image dominates the backdrop of Jim Dardenne's set. The main set piece is a scaled-down version of I.M. Pei's famous glass pyramid, which separates into two triangular parts that spin, twirl and generally serve to distract the audience from the action onstage.

It begins with the triumphant return of Egyptian army captain Radames (Jared Zirilli), who has conquered the neighboring kingdom of Nubia. He returns with a group of female slaves which includes Aida (the lovely Stephanie Umoh), daughter of the king, whom Radames' wily Nubian servant Mereb (James Earl Jones II) recognizes as the princess.

Radames gives Aida to his betrothed, the amorous Amneris (Erin Mosher, whose strapping vocals recall Celine Dion), a pharaoh's daughter with a passion for fashion that is exceeded only by her desire to wed Radames. Yet the soldier finds himself increasingly attracted to the courageous Aida, who returns his affections. Their feelings threaten his marriage, which has been arranged by his ruthlessly ambitious father Zoser (Darren Matthias), who's determined to make his son pharaoh.

Corti, artistic director of Aurora's Paramount Theatre, has a pair of strong leads in Umoh and Zirilli. These first-rate singers (their “Elaborate Lies” duet is a treat) do their best to flesh out their characters' struggle to balance duty to country with the desires of the heart. And he's got a powerhouse in Donica Lynn, stellar in the supporting role of the selfless slave Nehebka, who joins Umoh and the women's chorus for “The Gods Love Nubia,” the stirring anthem that concludes Act I.

Melissa Torchia's dazzling gowns make Mosher's Amneris look like a finalist in the Miss America pageant. And Corti brings to the production his trademark sizzle in the form of an enthusiastic tip of the tail feathers to the Ike and Tina Turner revues of the 1970s. But in the end, this show needs more than aesthetic touches — engaging though they may be — to stand the test of time.

<b>“Aida”</b>

★ ★ ½

<b>Location: </b>Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. (630) 530-0111 or <a href="http://www.drurylaneoakbrook.com" target="_blank">drurylaneoakbrook.com</a>

<b>Showtimes: </b>1:30 p.m. Wednesday; 1:30 and 8 p.m. Thursday; 8:30 p.m. Friday; 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday through May 29

<b>Running time: </b>About two hours, 10 minutes with intermission

<b>Tickets: </b>$35-$46; lunch and dinner packages range from $49.75 to $68

<b>Parking: </b>Free lot and parking garage adjacent to the theater

<b>Rating: </b>For teens and older