Hello, this is Carl Raymond, host of the Gilded Gentleman History podcast, where every two weeks we journey into world's light and dark of

America's Gilded Age, France's Belle-Epac and England's late Victorian and Edwardian eras.

On December 24, 1871, the curtain rose on the premiere of Giuseppe Verdi's monumental and much-loved opera Aida.

The opera, an epic tale of love, pride, and jealousy, is set in the ancient world of Egypt's Middle Kingdom.

And indeed, the opera's premiere took place in Cairo, Egypt to inaugurate the city's new

grand opera house. With sets and costumes evoking the grandeur of the world of pharaohs, priests,

princesses, and military ceremony, the opera became enormously popular throughout Europe and particularly in America

as the country entered its own era of pomp and pageantry, known as the Gilded Age.

Thank you. known as the Gilded Age. During the 19th century, culminating with the Gilded Age,

the general public became fascinated with the world of ancient Egypt.

Following Napoleon's expedition into Egypt just before the very dawn of

the 19th century, scholars, scientists, historians, and indeed the general public became fascinated

by astonishing discoveries of great tombs and temples that revealed, for the first time, a look into the ancient world.

Egyptomania took hold as designs in architecture, decorative arts, and fashion throughout the entire 19th century

began to reflect an Egyptian-inspired style.

The 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition

featured an Egyptian court with ancient motifs and artifacts.

New York's famed Croton Reservoir was built on an Egyptian style

and elements from ancient design found their way into public

buildings as well as cemeteries and even churches across the country.

In this show, I am deeply grateful to be joined by two expert Egyptologists to discuss what was happening in archaeology and historical discovery and thought during the 19th century and how that affected the style and design of the gilded age.

I could not be more pleased and honored to welcome Dr. John Darnell and Dr. Colleen Darnell to the gilded

...