Arizona Opera has mounted Verdi's masterpiece "Aida" just three times in the company's 40-year history - most recently in 1998-99 - but probably never like this before.
The stage will be crammed with actors, singers, audience members and animals.
Did we mention the snake?
This is grand opera, after all, so let the spectacle begin.
Here are a few reasons why you should not miss this weekend's performances.
Timeless story
When a slave in ancient Egypt falls in love with a dashing Egyptian commander, their love must remain a secret. But Aida is no ordinary slave; she also happens to be the daughter of the king of Ethiopia, an enemy of Egypt and with whom Egypt is at war. Aida's lover, Radames, wins the battle, throwing Aida into an agonizing moment of truth: follow the love of her life or the love of her country. Radames isn't innocent either; he faces punishment as a traitor. Will the lovers go down together or save their own skin?
Fabulous pageantry
There are few grand processions in opera that can match that of "Aida" Act 2. It's the scene where Radames and his army return victorious over Ethiopia and Egypt turns out to celebrate.
Stellar young cast
Aida - Rising sopranos Lisa Daltirus (Saturday) and Mary Elizabeth Williams (Sunday).
Amneris - Former San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow Daveda Karanas (Saturday) and Metropolitan Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago regular Dana Beth Miller (Sunday).
Radames - Emerging tenor Arnold Rawls.
Amonasro - Critically acclaimed bass Kevin Short, making his Arizona Opera debut.
Ramphis - Audience favorite bass Peter Volpe, in his third Arizona Opera production.
King of Egypt - Bass Matthew Treviño, a relative newbie to opera stages who is fast gaining a name for himself.
Messenger - Tenor Clay Hilley, a product of Arizona Opera's Marion Rose Pullin Resident Artist Program, building on what is fast becoming a promising career.
High Priestess - Soprano Rebecca Sjöwall, whose opera career has an interesting, mainstream footnote: She sang the "Rapture Anthem" on the award-winning video game "BioShock."
By the numbers
2 camels
1 snake
4 greyhounds
50 choristers
10 audience members seated on stage who dress in costumes and become part of the Act 2 pageantry.
25+ supernumeraries
6 dancers
40 pounds, the weight of Amneris' Act II costume.
865 total costume pieces used in the performance.
168 pairs of shoes.
198 different costumes.
If you go
• What: Giuseppe Verdi's "Aida."
• Presented by: Arizona Opera.
• Conducted by: Steven White.
• When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
• Where: Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.
• Tickets: $30 to $118 through www.ticketmaster.com
• Sung in: Italian with English surtitles.
