Dutch National Opera

Giulio Cesare

Georg Friedrich Händel (1685-1759)

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Dates

16 Jan-5 Feb 2023

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage

Running time

3:45, incl. 1 interval

Tickets

n.a.

Caesar and Cleopatra, passion and war

Romance and power take centre stage in Handel’s Giulio Cesare, set against the backdrop of Ancient Rome and Egypt. After directing a highly praised production of Rudi Stephan’s Die ersten Menschen in June 2020, Calixto Bieito returns to Dutch National Opera to immerse himself in a very different type of family drama, with an added political dimension.

Photo: Marta Syrko

Caesar and Cleopatra, passion and war

In the midst of the Roman Civil War (49-45 BCE), Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar) discovers that his rival Pompeo has been cruelly executed by the Egyptian king Tolomeo. While Pompeo’s widow Cornelia mourns her husband, and his son Sesto vows vengeance on the man who killed his father, Tolomeo’s sister and wife Cleopatra decides to seduce Cesare in order to enlist his support and tip the balance of power in her favour.

Baroque

The music of Giulio Cesare breathes the atmosphere of the Baroque, featuring various period instruments such as the harpsichord, the recorder and the viola da gamba. The arias too are incredibly diverse – some feature virtuosic vocal fireworks, while others may be characterised as the most subtle Handel has ever written. The opera is in expert hands with Emmanuelle Haïm, who specializes in the Baroque repertoire and has an impressive and much-praised discography to her name. Both Haïm and her ensemble Le Concert d’Astrée will be making their Dutch National Opera debut.

Spanish opera and theatre director Calixto Bieito, renowned for his visceral and visually striking approach, promises to wow with a gripping interpretation of Giulio Cesare. Bieito has a first-class ensemble of Handel singers at his disposal, including two rising opera stars, both making their debut with Dutch National Opera – French soprano Julie Fuchs as Cleopatra and Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Molinari as Sesto. In addition, French countertenor Christophe Dumaux, who has made a name for himself as a Handel specialist, will return to Dutch National Opera in the opera’s title role.

Performance information

Opera in three acts

Sung in Italian

Libretto Nicola Haym

Musical direction Emmanuelle Haïm

Stage direction Calixto Bieito

Set design Rebecca Ringst

Costume design Ingo Krügler

Lighting design Michael Bauer

Video Sarah Derendinger

Dramaturgy Bettina Auer

Giulio Cesare Christophe Dumaux

Curio Georgiy Derbas-Richter*

Cornelia Teresa Iervolino

Sesto Cecilia Molinari

Cleopatra Julie Fuchs

Tolomeo Cameron Shahbazi

Achilla Frederik Bergman

Nireno Jake Ingbar*

* Dutch National Opera Studio

Le Concert d’Astrée

Co-production with the Gran Teatre del Liceu (Barcelona)

Content warning

This production contains scenes of sexual content and violence that some audience members might find disturbing.

Online programme

Along with the printed programme book, we also offer online programme information for this performance. The online programme will take you behind the scenes with in-depth stories, articles, and interviews with the creators and cast.

Check out the online programme

Scene Giulio Cesare | Photo: Monika Rittershaus

Emmanuelle Haïm

Musical direction

Calixto Bieito

Stage direction

Rebecca Ringst

Set design

Ingo Krügler

Costumes

Michael Bauer

Lighting design

Sarah Derendinger

Video

Bettina Auer

Dramaturgy

Christophe Dumaux

Giulio Cesare

Julie Fuchs

Cleopatra

Georgiy Derbas-Richter

Curio

Teresa Iervolino

Cornelia

Cecilia Molinari

Sesto

Cameron Shahbazi

Tolomeo

Frederik Bergman

Achilla

Jake Ingbar

Nireno

Giulio Cesare on Arte

Tune in for the vocal fireworks and beautiful baroque music of Giulio Cesare on Thursday 2 February at 7pm. Giulio Cesare can then be watched live on streaming platform Arte. The stream will remain available for a whole year thereafter.

Watch it here (from 2 Feb 7pm)

‘This production of Giulio Cesare features a cast of incredible Baroque interpreters, acclaimed for their vocal and acting abilities alike’

EMMANUELLE HAÏM - MUSICAL DIRECTION

Handel's 'Giulio Cesare' as raw and topical psychodrama - In Handel's opera 'Giulio Cesare', director Calixto Bieito plays with dream and the disillusionment of power and wealth. The cast is superb and has optimal freedom of movement. ... Conductor Emmanuelle Haïm and her Le Concert d'Astrée are the backbone of Giulio Cesare, in some arias she lets her musicians rock and then drags you into long lines of sorrow, with beautifully lit individual details ... .

17 January

Potty 'Giulio Cesare' arouses mere irritation, despite musical quality - ... In this case, four stars for the music, zero for the direction. ... Fortunately, Emmanuelle Haïm was in the orchestra pit, having brought her fantastic ensemble Le Concert d'Astrée. In that pit, Handel happily got all the credit he was due with rhythmic drive, an ear for detail and wonderful accompaniments.

17 January

A serious opera with humour and modern spectacle - Spectacular video effects with breathtaking singing, larded with funny quips keep the audience entertained for three and a half hours. Every musical performance by singers and orchestra is rewarded with ovational applause. ... Those looking for an opera feast themed on the tactical love affair between historical figures Julius Caesar and Cleopatra can buy a ticket at the Dutch National Opera with confidence until 5 February.

20 January

Giulio Cesare in super-rich circles - ... Initially, the world Bieito paints remains somewhat distant from the viewer. ... But gradually it becomes clear what Bieito intends. ... From the outset, full-blooded singing and musicianship is evident. Haïm has repeatedly proven to have a distinct talent for working with singers. ... A vocal feast, where each singer reigns supreme and is sustained at that superior energy level from start to finish. Bravi!

16 January

Top singing in Bieito's chilly jetset-Cesare - ... 'Virtue' is for the rabble, here there is plenty of sexual and physical harassment. A cynical and amusing scene, surely hitting the true nature of historical despots Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. Handel himself, however, tells a richer story. ... Emmanuelle Haïm is so entwined with Handel that her warm-blooded conducting from the harpsichord was continuously pleasing.

18 January

With ancient games of politics and love, this 'Giulio Cesare' has little to do - ... There they were again, director Calixto Bieito's hardly innovative stick figures: the violence, blood and humiliation.

17 January

Le Concert d’Astrée

Le Concert d'Astrée is an instrumental and vocal ensemble dedicated to performing Baroque music under the direction of Emmanuelle Haïm. lt was founded in 2000 and is currently one of the world's finest ensembles specialising in this reper to ire. lt has been in residence at the Opéra de Lille since 2004 and has won national and international acclaim for its performances. Le Concert d'Astrée also tours internationally, regularly performing at world-class venues in programmes dedicated to 17th and18th century music. Working with renowned directors such as Christof Loy, Barrie Kosky and Guy Cassiers, Le Concert d'Astrée has performed in numerous staged opera productions at the Opéra de Lille. In the 2022/23 season, Le Concert d'Astrée will provide the musical accompaniment to Calixto Bieito's staging of Giulio Cesare.