From TOLEDO OPERA
Toledo Opera is inviting male community members to become part of the spectacle of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” by serving as supernumeraries, or extras/background actors, in its October 2026 production at the Valentine Theatre.
Supernumeraries are non-speaking, non-singing performers who help bring the world of opera to life through onstage movement and presence. No previous stage experience is required; only enthusiasm, reliability, and a willingness to be part of a professional opera production.
At this time, Toledo Opera is especially seeking eight physically fit men under the age of 40 who are comfortable wearing costumes that reveal the torso, legs, and arms while portraying soldiers. These featured supernumerary roles are integral to bringing the grandeur and spectacle of “Aida” to life onstage.
Selected participants will rehearse with the professional cast and production team. Staging rehearsals will begin Sept. 28 and typically run Monday through Friday in the evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays in the afternoons and/or evenings.
“Aida” will be performed on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m., at the Valentine Theatre, in downtown Toledo.
Community members interested in participating are encouraged to apply before Monday, July 27. Those interested in learning more and/or applying should contact James M. Norman at jnorman@toledoopera.org.
Torn between love and duty, Aida stands at the center of a tempest of passion, loyalty, and impossible choices. Captive in ancient Egypt, the Ethiopian princess must navigate her love for the heroic Radamès, her devotion to her homeland, and the schemes of the jealous Princess Amneris. Toledo Opera’s original production brings Verdi’s arias, duets, and choruses to life, immersing audiences in a story of desire, sacrifice, and destiny.
Returning to Toledo Opera for the first time in over a decade, “Aida” is an opera experience not to be missed. “Aida” stars soprano Mary Elizabeth Williams, company debut, as Aida; tenor Brendan Boyle, Toledo Opera’s “Carmen,” “Tosca,” and “Ragtime,” as Radamès; contralto Lauren Decker, Toledo Opera’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Suor Angelica,” as Princess Amneris, and baritone Nmon Ford, company debut, as Amonasro. “Aida” is presented in Italian with English captions.
For more information and to apply, contact James M. Norman at jnorman@toledoopera.org.
