Аn der Wien: Giulio Cesare in Egitto

Театр Ан дер Вин: Юлий Цезарь в Египте

Star director Keith Warner creates a production that imaginatively blends silent film and baroque opera, delightfully echoing Mankiewicz’s legendary Cleopatra with Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton. An excellent cast of singers is led by two of the world’s leading countertenors: Bejun Mehta and Christophe Dumaux. Louise Alder shines as the seductive Cleopatra. Patricia Bardon, Simon Bailey and Jake Arditti are further highlights in this extraordinary group of singers, while Ivor Bolton provides the appropriate soundtrack on the podium of the Concentus Musicus Wien. “Cheers for all involved” Kurier. “A must for baroque opera fans.” Kronen Zeitung

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Actors

Giulio Cesare

Bejun Mehta

Cleopatra

Louise Alder

Tolomeo

Christophe Dumaux

Cornelia

Patricia Bardon

Sesto

Jake Arditti

Crew

Conductor

Ivor Bolton

Director

Keith Warner

Set and costume designer

Ashley Martin-Davis

Lighting Designer

Mark Jonathan

About

Triumphantly premiered in 1724 at the King’s Theatre in London, George Frideric Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto masterfully combines human emotions: Triumph with sorrow, despair with happiness and love with profound melancholy in the face of the transience of all earthly life.

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Summary

Giulio Cesare defeated his political adversary Pompeio and pursued the refugee to Egypt. When Cesare arrives there - accompanied by Pompeio's wife Cornelia and her son Sesto - he is celebrated by the people. But he is entering a torn land. The siblings Tolomeo and Cleopatra should rule Egypt together, but both claim sole rule for themselves. Tolomeo believes that he can win the strong man from Rome for himself by letting him present the head of Pompeio. The asylum seeker immediately fell victim to Tolomeo's ambitions for power. The gift does not have the desired effect: Cesare is disgusted, Cornelia and Sesto demand vengeance. Tolomeo's scheming advisor Achilla falls in love with Cornelia and forged dark plans to get her into his possession. Cleopatra also tries to use Cesare for herself, but she uses her beauty: incognito as "Lydia" harassed by Tolomeo, she appeals to Cesare's protective instinct. She overhears Cornelias and Sestus' plans for revenge and gives them access to Tolomeo. However, their attack fails and the two are arrested. Achilla wants to release Cornelia and Sesto if Cornelia surrenders to him. She refuses. In the meantime, Tolomeo is also furious for Cornelia and wants her for himself. Cleopatra finally conquered Cesare with a great performance: disguised as the personification of virtue, she sings him a bewitching love song. Cesare's and “Lydia's” rendezvous is brutally disrupted because Tolomeo and his troops attack Cesare's army. Cleopatra angrily reveals her true identity and her now real love, and the stunned Cesare rushes into battle. At first everything seems to go wrong: Cesare can only evade his enemies by jumping into the harbor basin, Cleopatra is captured and Cornelia is sexually harassed by Tolomeo. But Sesto stabs Tolomeo, and Achilla changes sides in the middle of the battle - out of anger that Tolomeo would not allow him Cornelia. Cesare can save himself by swimming, he goes ashore as a hero, uses Cleopatra as queen and the lovers are celebrated by the people. that Tolomeo would not allow him Cornelia. Cesare can save himself by swimming, he goes ashore as a hero, uses Cleopatra as queen and the lovers are celebrated by the people. that Tolomeo would not allow him Cornelia. Cesare can save himself by swimming, he goes ashore as a hero, uses Cleopatra as queen and the lovers are celebrated by the people.