Historical eventDecember 241871

Aida

Aida, one of Giuseppe Verdi's most popular operas, made its debut in Cairo, Egypt.

Everything on December 24Original source

In context

When
Sunday, December 24 1871155 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
19th century · 1870s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

Russia, Greece and some other countries used the Julian calendar into the early 20th century, so local records may show a date up to 13 days earlier.

At a glance

Dates: From 1871.

What happened

Aida is a tragic opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni. Set in the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was commissioned by Cairo's Khedivial Opera House and had its première there on 24 December 1871, in a performance conducted by Giovanni Bottesini. Today the work holds a central place in the operatic canon, receiving performances every year around the world. At New York's Metropolitan Opera alone, Aida has been sung more than 1,100 times since 1886.

December 24 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1871Aida
  2. 1994Air France Flight 8969
  3. 1996Learjet 35
  4. 1997Sid El-Antri massacre
  5. 1999Indian Airlines Flight 814
  6. 1999Jihadism
  7. 2003ETA (separatist group)
  8. 2005Chad–Sudan relations
  9. 2008Lord's Resistance Army
  10. 20182018 Puebla helicopter crash
  11. 2021Tatmadaw

Also in 1871

  • January 18German EmpireThe German Empire was formed by the unification of previously independent German states, under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm I.
  • December 26Thespis (opera)Thespis, the first comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, premiered at the Gaiety Theatre in London.
  • October 26Edward James RoyeLiberian president Edward James Roye was overthrown in modern Africa's first coup d'état.
  • November 10Henry Morton StanleyJournalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley (pictured) located missing missionary and explorer David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika in…
  • March 22William Woods HoldenWilliam Woods Holden, Governor of North Carolina, became the first U.S. state governor to be removed from office through impeachment.
  • July 30Staten Island FerryThe boiler of the Staten Island Ferry Westfield II exploded at South Ferry in New York City, killing at least 45 people.
  • October 8Great Chicago FireThe Great Chicago Fire (pictured), began and proceeded to destroy much of the city's central business district, killing 300 people and le…
  • April 2Creatures of ImpulseCreatures of Impulse, by W. S. Gilbert (pictured), premiered at the Court Theatre in London.

Everything we record for 1871 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Aida”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/aida-1871-december-24, accessed October 28, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Aida happen?

December 24 1871 — 155 years ago, on a Sunday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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