Giulio Cesare
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For other uses, see Giulio Cesare (disambiguation).
Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) is an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel. The libretto was written by Nicola Frecesco Haym. It was first performed in London on February 20, 1724.
The opera was an immediate success. Handel revived it (with changes) in 1725, 1730, and 1732; it was also performed in Paris, Hamburg, and Brunswick.
Like Handel's other works in the opera seria genre, Giulio Cesare fell into oblivion in the 19th century.
The roles of Cesare and Cleopatra, that were sung by the castrato Senesino and famous soprano Francesca Cuzzoni and which encompass eight arias and two recitatives accompagnati, totally dispose of the vocal capabilities of the singers. Cornelia end Sesto are more static because they are completely taken by with their primary emotions, she with pain because of her husband's death contstantly constringed to defend herself from Achilla end Tolomeo, and he consumed by vengeance for his father's death.
Cleopatra is a multifaceted character: she uses at first her womanly viles to seduct Cesare and gain the throne of Egypt, and then becomes totally enrolled in the love affair with Cesare. She has great arias of immense dramatic intensity Se pietà di me non senti (II, 8) end Piangerò la sorte mia (III, 3). Sensual character is described magnificently in the aria V'adoro, pupille, in which Cleopatra, in the vests of Lidia, appears to Cesare circondated by the Muses of Parnassus (II, 2). This number calls for two orchestras: one is an ensemble scene with strings with sordino, oboe, tiorba, harp, bassoons and viola da gamba concerante.
In the 20th century, it was revived (in heavily altered form) in Göttingen in 1922. In modern times, it has proven to be by far the most popular of Handel's operas, with more than two hundred productions in many countries. The title role and the roles Ptolemy and Nirenus were written for castrati, and in modern productions, Giulio is either transposed for baritone or sung by a contralto or mezzo-soprano, or, more frequently in recent years, a countertenor. Nirenus is usually sung by a baritone and Ptolemy by a countertenor.
The work is considered by many to be Handel's finest Italian opera, possibly even the best in the history of opera seria. It is admired for its superb vocal writing, its dramatic impact, and its deft orchestral arrangements.
Giulio Cesare has become part of the standard operatic repertoire. There are several recordings of it, and it is regularly performed.
