Giulio Cesare review: No weak links in opera with heart-stopping eloquence

1/10
Barry Millington11 June 2018

When David McVicar’s production was new in 2005, the role of Julius Caesar was sung by Sarah Connolly, who returns for this revival; that of Cleopatra was taken by the future chatelaine of Glyndebourne, Danielle de Niese.

The latter memorably deployed her glamorous charisma in a stunning sailor routine that brought the house down. This time round, the American soprano Joélle Harvey brings very different qualities. Most importantly, her sense of Handelian style is infinitely superior and she forms part of the strongest cast yet for this production, with no weak link.

The stereotypical image of Cleopatra — as irresponsible sex-kitten — proves remarkably resistant to scholarship. But modern historians such as Lucy Hughes-Hallett and Mary Beard (who was in the audience last night) have made us aware of just how distorted this image is. True, for much of the first two acts, Handel (and his librettist Nicola Haym) offer us a character who conforms to the flighty, flirtatious stereotype (though interestingly she’s not a brutal tyrant). But later the character deepens with a pair of sublime grief-stricken arias, the second of which, Piangerò, Harvey delivered with heart stopping eloquence.

As for Connolly, she’s still outstanding as Caesar and her ability to negotiate the torrents of virtuoso semiquavers takes the breath away. On this occasion she sounded subdued though even the frequent muted delivery was turned to advantage in Va tacito, as she stealthily stalks her prey.

​Pompey’s widow, the put-upon Cornelia, has several numbers in Handel’s most plangent vein and Patricia Bardon rises superbly to the challenge, as does Anna Stéphany as her son Sesto. The two are blessed with more music than their roles might seem to justify, but who’s complaining?

Christophe Dumaux also deserves special mention as Tolomeo. William Christie once again plumbs the emotional depths with the OAE.

Neatly relocating the action to the British occupation of Egypt in 1882, McVicar’s production is potentially irritating in its reliance on camp humour and showtime routines, but never dull. He can’t resist a cross-dressing gag and there are plentiful opportunities in a genre where women have trouser roles and chaps sing falsetto. It was all much enjoyed by an audience whose demographic has changed appreciably since 2005 towards younger, less obviously affluent opera-lovers.

Latest theatre reviews

1/50

Maybe it’s time to rethink the role of Cleopatra. Meanwhile, this is an entertaining show, with top-drawer music by Handel, gloriously sung.

Until July 28

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