Customer Reviews

Julius Caesar [VHS]

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"Giulio Cesare in Egitto" dates from Handel's greatest period as an opera composer. For those of you who are used to hearing it sung in Italian with male or female altos in some of the key roles, e.g. Julius Caesar and Ptolemy, this 1979 Berlin State Opera version may come as a bit of surprise since the alto roles are sung by base-baritones, as is the bass role of Achillas. Sextus, the son of Pompey and Cornelia is sung by the tenor Eberhard Buchner rather than the usual soprano. The opera is sung in German with no subtitles.

There has also been some extensive cutting, especially to the roles of Cornelia and her son Sextus.

However, it is an interesting and enjoyable production - much more so than the only other "Giulio Cesare" video that I have seen, i.e. the Peter Sellars modern dress version (issued by PolyGram Video). For those of us who can't make it to New York any time soon, I am hoping for a video version of the "Giulio Cesare" that Jennifer Larmore is currently singing. I have the Harmonia Mundi (HMC 901385.87) 3 CD recording where Larmore sings the title role. This production was conducted by Rene Jacobs, and all of the voices are truly Handelian, and truly ravishing.