SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Handel, Giulio Cesare: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Emmanuelle Haïm (conductor), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago 24.11.2007 (JLZ) 

Production:
Stage Director: David McVicar
Set Designer: Robert Jones
Costume Designer: Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Lighting Designer: Paula Constable
Chorus Master:  Donald Nally
Choreographer: Andrew George

Cast (in order of vocal appearance):
Julius Caesar: David Daniels
Curtius: Darren Stokes
Cornelia: Patricia Bardon
Sextus: Maite Beaumont
Achillas: Wayne Tigges
Cleopatra: Danielle de Niese
Nirenus: Gerald Thompson
Ptolemy: Christophe Dumaux

With its excellent cast, impeccable conducting, exquisite staging and, most of all, exuberance, Giulio Cesare is one of Lyric Opera of Chicago's outstanding productions. First performed in London on 20 February 1724, George Frideric Handel's Giulio Cesare, with its libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym, has remained an enduring work on stage, and the current production at Lyric Opera of Chicago brings this work to its stage for the first time in the company's history. With such operas by Handel as Alcina and Partenope offered already, the presentation of Giulio Cesare adds to the number of Baroque works it has offered in recent years. Without taking away from the other works of Handel at Lyric, this particular opera is, perhaps, its most impressive effort with this repertoire.

In terms of the libretto, the narrative about the exploits of Julius Caesar in Egypt remains a point of departure the work in providing both the details of the plot and dramatic situations that reveal a wide range of emotions for the composer to explore. The opera opens with the shock of discovering that Caesar's rival Pompey has been dispatched by Ptolemy – who is also in conflict with his sister Cleopatra which sets up a chain of conflicts to be played out and resolved. The ensuing situations involve shifting loyalties, revenge, passion, unrequited lust, varying degrees of courage and, above all, determination. Caesar's struggle will not only win him control of Europe, but also Queen Cleopatra's love. Cleopatra must deal with her politically savvy brother Ptolemy, who has his own designs on Egypt. Her love for Caesar enables her to assist Cornelia in bringing revenge on Ptolemy, through the agency of Cornelia's son Sextus. To control Egypt however Ptolemy needs the military might of Achillas, and Achillas' price for loyalty is marriage to Cornelia, a ploy that ultimately will cost  Ptolemy the throne. In this context, the cold historic facts behind the libretto are as much a prop for the opera as the staging and costumes in bringing about a resolution of the emotions connecting the characters.

A talented cast is needed to allow Giulio Cesare  to succeed, and here it does so splendidly. This production involves some of the finest performers possible for the principal characters, with countertenor David Daniels in the title role. In the program note,  Mr Daniels expresses his enjoyment of the part and all the nine arias allotted to it. The sheer number of arias is a challenge to any singer who takes on this role, since they pose demands from the beginning of the first act to the end of the third, a span of almost five hours when the work is performed in entirety, as it was at here. Mr Daniels paced himself well and displayed a fine sense of pitch and phrasing throughout, with discernible enjoyment of the music evident in this performance. He articulated his texts excellently  well, both in terms of diction and musical line.

The kind of enthusiasm that David Daniels displayed carried through the entire cast and the whole production.  This  was Baroque opera on a grand scale, an event that made fine music more enjoyable than ever through its presentation as theater. In the sometimes underplayed role of the widow Cornelia, the Dublin-born mezzo soprano Patricia Bardon displayed a fine command of the character, which she sang exquisitely. Her nuanced approach to the first-act aria "Priva son d'ogni conforto" was movingly subtle, with the fluid lines carefully presented. In approaching the part so elegantly, Ms Bardon brought Cornelia to life by integrating the music and acting well. As much as Baroque opera often makes use of the grand gesture, it also benefits from exquisite subtlety, as found in the soft and lingering appoggiatura near the end of this first-act aria which contributed to a touching portrayal. The poignancy of Cornelia's  scenes stand in contrast to the more extroverted nature of other parts of the opera. As a link to the past history of the narrative, Cornelia's role made perfect  sense here, through in the dignified manner in which Ms Bardon presented the character's pathos.

Likewise, Maite Beaumont made a strong impression as Sextus (Sesto)  bringing  music and  and drama together with a riveting stage presence. Her upper register made the role sound easy, and her acting displayed a wholly masculine persona without ever lapsing into caricature. All of her arias were convincing, and her duet with Cornelia "Son nata a lagrimar" ( also at the end of the first act)  was memorable for fine ensemble and clear emotional content. Although new to American audiences with this Giulio Cesare, Ms Beaumont's voice may be alread  familiar through recent recordings of Handel's Radamisto and Vivaldi's Montezuma, and from Salzburg where she sang  Dorabella in Così fan tutte.

Danielle de Niese brought much energy to Cleopatra, a role as demanding as Caesar, with eight arias of its own. In this production Cleopatra is  involved in much movement, including some elaborate dance numbers. Backed by two non-singing dancers on stage, Ms  de Niese conveyed energy and sensuality effectively, suggesting  a vamp at times yet wholly in character. She has a fine presence on stage, and she worked well with the rest of the cast, especially her confidante, Nirenus, who was sung by the countertenor Gerald Thompson. Having already sung the role of Sextus recently at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, Mr. Thompson know this opera well: he  was equally effective in what seemed to be intended as a character role of Nirenus, and his effortless singing was delightful. His performance of "Qui perde un momento" (an aria Handel added to the opera in 1725) stands out, with (once again) the presence of two male dancers enhancing the presentation.

French countertenor Christophe Dumaux was particularly engaging as Ptolemy. His focused sound, excellent diction and acting were all  assets in making the conflict between him and Cleopatra believable: while other productions often  make Ptolemy seem affected, Mr Dumaux offers a more menacing and dangerous perspective on the role. His initially playful competition with Cleopatra develops within the opera into a open power struggle which almost ruins Caesar. Dumaux also works well with Wayne Tigges as Achillas, Ptolemy's military chief. Mr Tigges suggested the power behind Ptolemy's menace, and his attraction to Cornelia (a woman who cannot be persuaded to compromise herself even to save her own life) verged on obsession. Yet Achillas cannot be deterred, and pursues Cornelia without regard for her feelings. Achillas' second-act aria ""Tu sei il cor di questo core" revealed his fluid sound and  the excellent expressiveness. Mr Tigges, who played this role recently at the Met,  is familiar to Lyric audiences from past seasons and as an alumnus of the company's Ryan Opera Center.

For this set of performances, Lyric Opera of Chicago uses the production created by  David McVicar for Glyndebourne (available on Opus Arte DVD 950 conducted by William Christie), an updating of the setting to British North Africa, with military uniforms suggesting  the Raj and, with Cornelia's, the silken dresses,  also E. M. Forster's A Passage to India. The almost fairy-tale decor of Cleopatra's boudoir is both multi-colored and multi-textured, with enough veils and panels to suggest its distance from the political world outside the palace. Beyond these two sets, a map room  which features prominently the latter part of the opera , denotes the martial element directly. As mentioned already, dance and movement are integral to the production and, as such, point up some the more stylized elements of this late Baroque work. Granted, Handel's score never called for backup dancers, bare-chested actors, and other supernumeraries, but the production captures the spirit of the work. Baroque opera was meant to entertain and this occasionally over the top production  succeeds brilliantly in entertaining Lyric's large audiences with one of Handel's finest works. Baroque opera is itself often grandiose with  its use of historic narrative, voices, and staging to display emotions through music.

Of everyone involved with this production, Emmanuelle Haïm peformed a key role in leading the orchestra. Those who could see her in the pit could perceive a dynamic musician shaping phrasing and timbres so well that her leadership earned her  applause from the principals accorded her at the end of the performance.  Those familiar with opera in Chicago may also be familiar with her work elsewhere, notably her fine conducting of Agrippina at Chicago Opera Theater several seasons ago. Yet with this Giulio Cesare, it is hard to imagine this production without her. The resulting orchestral sound was idiomatic and full, with a shimmering sound that supported the singers wholeheartedly without overpowering them.

This was a striking performance that should leave a strong impression on audiences. It was possible in fact to hear audience members  humming tunes from the opera during the two intermissions, a tribute in itself to its effectiveness. Given the attention to every detail in terms of staging, acting and, most of all, musicianship, it is small  wonder than the audience applauded so enthusiastically after each act, and especially at the end of the evening. Baroque opera deserves thoughtful presentation and Lyric Opera merits much praise for this monumental production.  

James L. Zychowicz

 

 

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