Giulio Cesare in Egitto

I have always found Peter Sellars's updating of great operas at best irritating. Rock bottom was setting Cosi fan Tutte, Mozart's subtlest critique of man-woman relationships in an American diner. It really cheapened the thesis that men are as bad as women when it comes to deceit and fidelity between the sexes. It took the bottom line and blanched the heart out of Mozart. This heart is what makes Mozart's greatest operas supremely moving when they speak of the darker sides of human nature.

When you have seen the Marriage of Figaro re-configured as a domestic violence piece amidst Trumpian New York elegance, this jokey re-telling of Handel's greatest opera is like some adolescent director who somehow strayed into opera production class, and who is at a loss for a really innovative creative idea. The poorly aimed political barbs at American imperialism have their satirical potential considerably lessened by ill-judged visual jokes. This is not helped by Sellars's direction of his principals.

Count Almaviva threatening the Countess with a gun, and the real possibility of physical violence struck some raw nerve, but seeing Drew Minter (as Tolomeo) cavort in old fashioned bathers, or having Cleopatra sing without distinction her last aria in gold lame bikini is not only NOT shocking and NOT funny, but absolutely BORING.

I can understand Sellars being loyal to singers he normally likes to work with, but Susan Larson (who failed to move me in any way in COSI) is deadly in her hammy performance. She is vocally merely adequate in the role. Dramatically, it is as though Lucille Ball miraculously had a voice transplant and walked onto the wrong set.

Jeffrey Gall sounds positive squawky in his middle register, a voice past his prime. And poor James Maddalena - a great actor and a great singer - but probably not the most brilliant of Handelians.

Dear Mr. Sellars should have a peek at David McVicar's spankingly lively 2005 Glyndebourne production of the same opera with a cast to really die for. And also, watch out for singers who can really MOVE while singing thrillingly.

In the 80's and 90's of the last century, Peter Sellars, the bad boy of opera, made quite a name for himself with his imaginative restaging of operas from the Classical and Baroque periods. While many of his works were done on stage, Sellars also did operas on film. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, a version of the Caesar and Cleopatra story, is the best of Handel's 40+ operas and receives brilliant treatment at the hands of Sellars. Set in the modern Middle East, Giulio Cesare is presented as a lesson in geopolitics. Caesar, having defeated his rival, Pompey the Great and completed the Roman conquest of Egypt soon finds himself embroiled in palace politics as the teenage Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy, each attempt to exclude each other from the throne and claim the crown for themselves. (Cleopatra wins, of course; in the scene where she seduces Caesar it's clear that he's roadkill and will do anything she asks.) Countertenor Jeffrey Gall leads a strong cast. Unlike many countertenors, Gall's voice has real dramatic power, so that he can use his voice expressively as well as just sing in the alto castrato range for which Handel originally wrote the part. Finally, Sellars has the courage to do the entire opera, including all the repeats and extra arias that are usually omitted. The result is a four hour extravaganza. However, if you like Handel, or opera for that matter, you won't mind.

Giulio Cesare is one of Handel's best operas, dramatically compelling with gorgeous music. I am familiar with Peter Sellars and his style, and for me he is somebody who at times has it and others where he doesn't make the grade. While his Theodora is an example of a production where he has it, this Giulio Cesare is an example of him falling short in my view. It is not terrible, far from it, but watching it you can see why people won't like it and why Sellars is seen as controversial.

My problems with the production were with the production values and staging. The sets were colourful actually, but some of the costumes for the singers, especially those for Susan Larson, made them look foolish and I was never really sure what the setting or concept was for the production, it all seemed muddled for me. The staging, although it does have its good moments, was an example of Sellars getting ahead of his own ideas. Some parts like Cleopatra masturbating I found distasteful(and I imagine others will feel the way). I'll say right now that I have no problem with non-traditional opera productions, quite a number of them are very good as a matter of fact. Where I don't like it so much is when the production looks unappealing or when it's either static or distasteful. While there were far worse examples about, this production wasn't exactly ideal either for me.

I was also very mixed on Jeffrey Gall as Cesare. There are times when he does sing beautifully and he makes for a quite authoritative figure, on the other hand some of his colouratura comes across as smudgy and while Cesare was written originally for a castrato even for a countertenor there were instances where Gall wasn't quite manly enough.

However, the video directing apart from a perhaps slight overuse of close-ups was excellent, giving the viewer an immediacy in the drama. The Sesto-Cornelia duet dramatically is a highlight, genuinely heart-breaking. Musically the production is outstanding. The orchestral playing is crisp and beautifully blended, giving the drama its much needed depth. Craig Smith does a sterling job conducting, maybe some of the recitatives could have done with more oomph pacing-wise but the intent and energy are certainly there.

Susan Larson is very good as Cleopatra. She has some quite degrading moments but handles them with marvellous dignity. Attractive and witty, she is very convincing in her acting, and her singing is rich and creamy, suited for Early Music I think. Drew Minter's Ptolomeo is entertaining and he sings with a clear tone, while Cheryl Cobb contrasts greatly with Larson in their banter together- the inclusion of her Act 2 aria is a big bonus also- and James Maddalena proves himself a fine singing-actor with his chemistry with Mary Westbroek-Geha's Cornelia literally on fire. Westbroek-Geha is excellent in her role, heartbreaking in her duet with Lorraine Hunt, the latter as Sesto giving the finest singing of the production with beautiful tone and a great emotional intensity to her diction and musicality.

All in all, musically it is hard to find fault with, on a visual front opinions are going to be very divided I can imagine. I found many things impressive with this Giulio Cesare actually, but it didn't blow me away. In all honesty, I did find the David McVicar Glyndebourne production much more satisfying. 7/10 Bethany Cox