Akhnaten's   depiction of Egyptian figures is something that has not been covered much in most art forms much less in opera. Despite Akhenaten's importance to history, he and the people of his time don't hold the same recognition as Einstein or Ghandi.

To help better understand this period in Egyptian history, we put together this guide to help you understand who's who in Akhnaten   and their significance in the opera's story as well as history. With beautiful costume sketches to accompany each character, this will be a feast for the mind and for the eye.

Akhnaten

In the opera: Amenhotep IV becomes pharaoh and creates the first monotheistic religion. He adopts the name Akhnaten to reflect his devotion to the sun god Aten and builds a new capital city, Akhetaten. He is killed by a mob devoted to one of the old gods, Amon.   

In history: Akhnaten may have created the cult of Aten to diminish the power of the priests of Amon, a major deity. During his chaotic 17-year reign, the empire disintegrated as he shut himself up in Akhetaten. The circumstances of his death are unknown.

Queen Tye

In the opera:   Widow of Amenhotep III, she witnesses the rise and fall of her son Akhnaten.

In history: She was a powerful advisor to both her husband and son, counseling them in military and political matters, and taking an active role in foreign relations. She probably died in the 12th year of Akhnaten’s reign, shortly before his empire began to unravel.

Nefertiti

In the opera:   She is the beloved wife of Akhnaten, bearing him six daughters.

In history:   Depicted in many portraits with the accoutrements of a ruler, Nefertiti seems to have shared power with her husband. Some speculate that she briefly succeeded her husband as pharaoh.

Aye

In the opera: Nefertiti’s father is an advisor to Akhnaten, but turns against him.

In history: Believed to have been Queen Tye’s brother, he may also have been Nefertiti’s father. When the boy Tutankhamun became pharaoh, Aye ran the country as the power behind the throne. He succeeded Tutankhamun, reigning for four years.

High Priest of Amon

In the opera:   After Akhnaten creates a new religion dedicated to Aten, the High Priest unites with Aye and Horemhab to overthrow the pharaoh and destroy his capital city Akhetaten.

In history:   In polytheistic ancient Egypt, the cult of Amon—a supreme creator-god associated with the city of Thebes—was very popular. His priests held great wealth and power. At the time Akhnaten became pharaoh, their influence rivaled that of the royal house.

Horenhab

In the opera: He is a general under Akhnaten, but turns against him.

In history: Commander of the army under Akhnaten and Tutankhamun, he was the designated successor to the heirless Tutankhamun. At the time of Tutankhamun’s death, however, Horemhab seems to have been involved in a battle in what is now western Syria, and Aye became pharaoh instead. Horemhab seized power after Aye’s death. Under him, the worship of Amon was fully restored and the nation was stabilized.

Tutankhamun

In the opera:    A non-singing role, young Tutankhamun succeeds his father Akhenaten as pharaoh. 

In history:   He was born Tutankhamen [“living image of Aten”]. His mother was probably one of his father’s sisters. Two other pharaohs had short-lived reigns before he became pharaoh at the age of nine; little is known of them. A puppet of his adult advisors, he revoked his father’s reforms and changed his name to Tutankhamun. He died heirless at 19, largely forgotten until the 1922 discovery of his spectacular tomb.

The Scribe

In the opera: Identified on the score’s title page as “Amenhotep, son of Hapu,” he narrates (in spoken English) the events taking place on the stage. Transformed into a 20th-century lecturer (below right), he describes what remains of Akhnaten’s legacy.

In history: An enormously influential official during the reign of Akhnaten’s father, he served as chief architect, chief scribe and steward to the pharoah’s daughter. He was venerated as a healer, and worshipped as a demigod for centuries after his death.

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