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Review: Giulio Cesare ****
A scene from Giulio Cesare
Leeds Grand Theatre
DON’T be misled, the opera may not bear her name, but this Handel masterpiece is all about Cleopatra.
Specifically, it focuses on the love affair between the Egyptian queen and Caesar, as opposed to the juicy political history lesson which the saga usually offers up.
But what really sets this version apart from every other version – be it ballets or movies – is the composer’s distinctive style. A three-hour epic dominated by upper range vocals fluttering around a score saturated in the sound of the harpsichord, is somehow surprising. We’re used to watching these two great figures presented against a perpetual soundtrack of booming orchestration.
For those who prefer more conventional characteristics, Giulio Cesare is laden with arias, many delivering some mesmeric moments. Sarah Tynan, who is faced with the challenge of tackling Cleopatra, is masterful throughout, her voice absolutely perfect. Her counterpart, Pamela Helen Stephen as Caeser, plays second fiddle, albeit only by comparison.
A closer second though is James Laing as her scheming brother Tolomeo who plans to take the Egyptian throne as his own and isn’t averse to a spot of rape and murder along the way. It’s great to see this gifted countertenor given a chance to shine, not just vocally, but also to show he does a neat line in unhinged too.
Ann Taylor as Cornelia, wife of Caeser’s wrongly assassinated enemy, and Jonathan Best as Achilla, Tolomeo’s sidekick who eventually turns against him, also deliver wonderful moments in the spotlight with first class performances vying for our attention almost as much as the lead characters.
But it is Tim Albery’s vision for Giulio Cesare which is most striking. The stage is surrounded by giant concrete slabs into which is carved SPQR, initials representing the Latin phrase: Senatus Populusque Romanus (The Senate and the People of Rome). Then, added to the mix is a central monolith, obviously of Egyptian design, which instantly sets the tone for a clash of cultures or, perhaps, a convenient union?
Said building eventually revolves and opens up to reveal the solid gold interior of a royal palace where all the plotting and Machiavellian moves are conceived and executed. The skill here is in devising a set which somehow appears epic and lavish, while essentially being a rather simple design heightened by the ingenious use of lighting and stage direction.
And what’s particularly shrewd is the obvious avoidance of dressing the cast as cliches of what we might expect Romans and Egyptians to look like. In fact, they appear in rather more basic or minimal garb, hinting at its origins as opposed to ramming the imagery down your throat.
Yet despite not recreating a Hollywood film set, the end result really is a quality piece of opera boasting something very close to the aura of a silver screen blockbuster. The only question mark hangs over whether the baroque score – set against a rather stretched-out narrative – will be to everyone’s taste.
Wednesday and February 7,10 and 16, Leeds Grand Theatre, New Briggate, Leeds, 7pm, £8 to £65. Tel: 0844 848 2700. www.leedsgrandtheatre.com
Rod McPhee
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