Aida is the ultimate in operatic spectacle of love, war and grandeur.

An 18-metre tall, 15-tonne rotating bust of Nefertiti overlooks the stage. 130 performers and musicians bring Ancient Egypt to life. Fireworks light up the sky at every performance.

Verdi sets an intimate story of forbidden love against the fates of empires, where kingdoms rise and fall and history marches relentlessly on.

Few stages in the world can match Sydney Harbour for a production of this scale: as city lights begin to sparkle and the Sydney Opera House is silhouetted against the setting sun. With pop-up bars and dining this is one of the city’s most treasured events.

But amid all of the spectacle, there’s an emotional heart. As Amneris sings her quiet, concluding prayer, you’ll see the true mastery of this opera: it is at once an historic epic and a profoundly moving human tragedy.