The opera , which is divided into four acts is based on a story written by a French Egyptologist called Auguste Mariette . The librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni wrote the words for Verdi to set to music . Aida ( ; sometimes spelled AÃ da ; from , , an Arabic female name meaning `` visitor '' or `` returning '' ) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni , based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette .