Product Description
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David McVicar's production of Giulio Cesare manages to combine
serious in with entertainment, bringing Handel's masterpiece
to life in a powerful, convincing and highly intelligent way. In
every line of the complex narrative the subtle nuances are
apparent, reflecting perfectly the transparent and exquisite
nature of Handel's musical expression. Filmed in High Definition
and recorded in true surround sound, the outstanding singing of
the all-star cast, led by a superb Sarah Connolly, and the vivid
playing of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under the
energising baton of William Christie reveal the colour and
dramatic character of Handel's music in a most delightful manner.
Press Reviews
"...a lively and imaginative production, directed by the ever
resourceful David McVicar, enchanted and amused..there was so
much good acting, often whilst singing difficult and controlled
coloratura." (Musical Opinion)
"Christie conducts Handel beguilingly - in fact, I’d go so far
as to suggest that nobody does Handel better. Christie drew brisk
playing from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, crisp and
punchy, yet he also carried the slow tempos with magical
stillness. But the performance was about much more than sound
alone: underneath the OAE's sheen there was an internalized
musical depth to each of the numbers." (Opera)
"Extravagantly laid out on three DVDs, the Opus Arte version is
important in offering a fine period performance of this most
popular of the Handel operas. William Christie conducts the
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and an outstanding cast in
an account at once scholarly, lively and refreshing, a live
of the 2005 production at Glyndebourne." (The Penguin
Guide)
"...the irrepressible Danielle de Niese (who is accorded a
delightful 22-minute narrative on her Glyndebourne experience
among the extras here). Her vocal command and stage presence are
spectacular in every sense..." (Gramophone)
Cast
Sarah Connolly (Cesare)
Angelika Kirchschlager (Sesto)
Danielle de Niese (Cleopatra)
Christophe Dumaux (Tolomeo)
Patricia Bardon (Cornelia)
Christopher Maltman (Achilla)
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; William Christie
Production
Company: Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Stage Director: David McVicar
Disc Information
Catalogue Number: OABD7024D
Date of Performance: 2005
Running Time: 305 minutes
Sound: 5.0 DTS Surround; PCM Stereo
Aspect Ratio: 1080i High Definition / 16:9
Subtitles: EN, FR, DE, ES, IT
Label: Opus Arte
.com
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There's a chance that purists will be very unhappy with
director David McVicar's production of this Baroque masterpiece;
there's also an equal chance that they'll be so vastly
entertained that all criticisms will be beside the point. Updated
to the years before World War I, Caesar's troops are British
soldiers come to colonize Egypt, the latter being a place filled
with exoticisms in the form of acres of billowing silk, flashy
costumes, and full-blown song and dance numbers a la Bollywood
(featuring sex-kitten Cleopatra and her minions). It's not only
funny/campy, it also makes a certain internal sense. The
razzle-dazzle is laid aside for the personal tragedy of Cornelia
and Sesto (Patricia Bardon and Angelika Kirchschlager,
respectively)--here portrayed as a beaten-down woman in a
pathetic rage and a son on the verge of insanity--and for
Caesar's and Cleopatra's more introspective moments. Caesar is
mezzo Sarah Connelly, in firm voice and with the bearing of an
emperor. Cleopatra is the 25-year-old American Daniele de Niese,
ravishing in person and voice, with charisma, nerve, and talent
in equal proportions. Countertenor Christopher Dumaux'
bitchy-queen Tolomeo is remarkable, and the Achilles of bass
Christopher Maltman is menacing. William Christie leads the
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with great spirit and
dramatic thrust, and the production values---subtitles in major
European languages and English, stereo and surround sound, and
picture---are ideal. Extras include interviews with the director
and singers and an up-close look at Danielle de Niese. This is a
fascinating, grand entertainment that may just make new friends
for Baroque opera. --Robert Levine