‘This intimate staging brings the iconic tale of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra to life, exploring the political intrigue and tragic tensions of Handel’s classic opera.’
Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto is a classic Baroque opera, full of political intrigue, bloodshed, and tragic romance. New Trinity Baroque stages the iconic story of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar in an intimate setting that lets the vocalists’ and musicians’ performances fill the space. Artistic Director Predrag Gosta and Stage Director Marcio da Silva prefaced the performance by explaining their vision of a production that leaves room for interpretation, and symbolism that doesn’t immediately lend itself to one understanding or another. Gosta’s minimal stage design used masks, veils, and an enigmatic sculptural piece to evoke a world of mysterious cloaked figures, and unseen forces at work.
This production cuts the original cast of eight down to only six roles, creating a strong focus on the complex political and personal tensions surrounding the Egyptian throne. Federica Moi and Silvija Radjen Kumar portray Cornelia and Sesto, the widow and son of the murdered Roman General Pompey. Moi’s rich, warm contralto tone was suffused with emotion, and she played with dynamics beautifully to offer a powerfully moving performance. Kumar’s bright, agile voice and strong dramatic focus brought Sesto to life as the dutiful avenging son. Marcio da Silva as Achilla and Julia Portela Piñón as Tolomeo both play convincing villains, as they’re driven to violence by their lusts for power over the throne and over the women around them. Da Silva’s resonant bass-baritone was complemented by his magnetic physicality as he inhabited Achilla’s scheming persona. Piñón excelled in a challenging role as Tolomeo the ‘boy king,’ whose combination of immaturity and immense political power is a truly dangerous combination; she commanded the stage with just a few looks and imperious poses (as well as some lovely high notes).
Countertenor Sandro Rossi brought an intense and warlike energy to Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar); you could easily see him leading troops into battle or giving a rousing speech to a crowd. Cesare’s role involves an impressive number of complex, quick coloratura passages, and Rossi navigated them with agility and a remarkably consistent tone throughout. Finally, Radoslava Vorgić sang as Cleopatra, inhabiting this larger-than-life role with majesty, poise, and wit. Her words seemed to flow effortlessly from her as if they were her natural thought process, with conversational phrasing keeping the lyrics fresh even through her longer, repetitive texts. Vorgić’s voice is clear, glowing, and graceful, and soars through Cleopatra’s high notes with ease.
The accompaniment, performed by eleven musicians on Baroque period instruments, underscored the plot with deep emotion, ranging from the brassy heights of ambition and bravado to the mournful depths of despair and loss. Some of the more musically conversational moments in the opera allowed some of the musicians such as Simone Perri on violin to take the melodic lead and show off some dextrous Baroque flourishes. Handel’s music has been captivating audiences for hundreds of years, and this team brings his soaring melodies and rich instrumentals into vivid color – this tightly-knit production is a pleasure to behold.