Aida Mary Jane Phillips-Matz argues that the source is actually Temistocle Solera. Isma'il Pasha, Khedive of Egypt, commissioned Verdi to write an opera for performance to celebrate the opening of the Khedivial Opera House, paying him 150,000 francs, but the premiere was delayed because of the Siege of Paris (1870–71), during the Franco-Prussian War, when the scenery and costumes were stuck in the French capital, and Verdi's "Rigoletto" was performed instead. "Aida" eventually premiered in Cairo in late 1871. Contrary to popular belief, the opera was not written to celebrate the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, for which Verdi
International Commission for the piercing of the isthmus of Suez commented on the execution of the future works or on their management. The comprehensive final report together with the journal of the investigation group and the minutes of the deliberations of the complete commission have been published by Lesseps in Negrelli informed the "K.K. Geographische Gesellschaft" (Imperial Royal Geographic Society) in Vienna about the intended canal and presented them with a copy of the Commission's final report. The society published the information in their own papers: International Commission for the piercing of the isthmus of Suez The International Commission for the piercing of the isthmus of Suez ("Commission Internationale pour