Giulio Cesare

I always did like Handel's music, and watching various productions of his operas makes me appreciate it all the more. This Glyndebourne David McVicar-directed production is my favourite of the five Handel productions I've seen in a row over the past week or so, the others being in order of preference ENO's Xerxes, Zurich's Semele, (I think) ENO's Rinaldo and ENO'S Ariodante. Some might turn up their noses at how the very end is staged, I personally didn't mind it because not only have I seen more infuriating staging's elsewhere but everything else is so well done. David McVicar has always been a very interesting director, of course there have been some touches I've found questionable like in the Covent Garden production of Faust, but his Rigoletto especially is one of the better productions available. Here his directing is always fluid and involving, some of the best ever work he's done in my opinion. The costumes and sets are sumptuous, and the dancing is full of zest and is niftily choreographed. The musical aspect of the performance is superb, the music is gorgeous and is stylishly and beautifully performed by the orchestra and William Christie's conducting is buoyant. Of the many fine performances here, the biggest shout out goes to Danielle De Niese, whose Cleopatra is a revelation, beautiful, always engaging to watch and with a voice that fills the room and delights with its clear quality. Sarah Connolly's Cesare is a perfect match, she does convince as a man and her mezzo voice and stage presence are incredibly powerful handling her semi-quaver runs with magisterial ease. Angelika Kirchsclager is incredible as Sesto, Sesto has some of the opera's best music, and Kirchsclager's intensity, fury and passion really comes through here. Rachid Ben Abdeslam is an excellent Nerino, while not quite as sinister as Christopher Robson Christophe Dumax is a deliciously vindictive Tolomeo and as Achilla Christopher Maltman dominates the stage and yet another person who sings powerfully while never losing Handel's distinctive style. All in all, simply wonderful, I highly recommend it and De Niese, Christie and McVicar's interviews which are very interesting and full of enthusiasm. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This is a film of the 2005 Glyndebourne production of Giulio Cesare, directed by David McVicar. I had to content myself with the film because the live production very quickly sold out. McVicar sets the piece in a British raj version of Egypt, so the Roman soldiers are British redcoats, Curio, one of the Roman officers, even wears a kilt. This is not at all off-putting and gently emphasises the parallels between Roman imperialism and that of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The revelation of this production is Danielle de Niese's Cleopatra. I have previously seen her in Les Indes Gallantes with the same conductor, William Christie. De Niese and Christie bring some of the joy and jollity of that Rameau production to Handel's Julius Caesar. De Niese gives a complete performance, delightful singing, accomplished dancing and a mischievous personality. The audience loves it when she drops her sunglasses; as she bends down to pick them up, the entire Romano-British army buckles at the knees to get a better view. Her Piangero La Sorte Mia is very tenderly done but her personality is so ebullient that I could not take it seriously. Her best aria is Da Tempeste Il Legno Infranno in which she demonstrates her machinegun coloratura while miming the machine-gunning of the Glyndebourne audience. In the first act interval, de Niese reveals that she is miked for this performance with a transmitter concealed about her body. I spent much of the second and third acts trying to work out where they had hidden the transmitter under her figure-hugging costumes.

Sarah Connolly is an impressive Caesar with a convincingly masculine appearance and an accomplished contralto voice. Her best number is Va Tacito E Nascosto with horn obligato, performed while she dances a poker-faced military quadrille.

This production is so profligate with its talent that it can afford one of the world's leading mezzos, Angelika Kirchschlager in the comparatively minor role of Sexto, although Sesto does have some good arias and a ravishing duet, Son Nato A Lagrimar, with his mother Cordelia, sung by Patricia Bardon.. The third trouser role in what must originally have been a battle of the castrati is taken by Christophe Dumaux, as Tolomao, who has a pleasing voice and who also makes the most of the comic business , including cross-dressing in his sister Cleopatra's clothes.

It is difficult to imagine a better production of this opera. It brings, in a modern context, all the spectacle that must have been present in Handel's original 1720s production. I loved the sea at the back of the set with little boats bobbing up and down. I was even prepared to forgive David McVicar's use of Zeppelins in Caesar's decisive battle against Tolomeo. Tolomeo and Achilla, killed in battle, return to take part in the finale to add to the pantomime air of the proceedings

The other reviewers have given it a 10, so I will too, with all my heart. This is a superb production from all points of view. The only other version I have seen is Laurent Pelly's from 2011, and this one is even better. Christophe Dumaux as Tolomeo is the only performer common to both versions, and his creepy brutality is impressive. Sarah Connolly makes me forget Lawrence Zazzo in the role of Caesar; she's really imposing in that greatcoat with all the decorations. Angelika Kirschlager's Sesto is very touching, as Isabel Leonard was for Pelly. But de Niese is the star of the show; it's amazing how she can rattle off the coloratura, as though it presented no trouble at all. It will be practically impossible for any opera company to do a better production than this.

An all together well staged and sung opera. The cast appears to be enjoying the production. This joy in the music radiates out to the audience. Yes, opera can be fun.