Handel: Giulio Cesare in Egitto

Great to add this to my collection. I was fortunate to have attended a live production of Faust (Gounod) at the City Opera in the very early 1970s - featuring Treigle as Mephistopheles. At the time, I had a subscription to the Metropolitan Opera --- just went to the City Opera that one evening on a speculation. My introduction to Treigle was stunning --- big voice announcing "Me Voici" seemed to fill the arena -- as he burst out of the mummy/cadaver wrappings on Dr. Faust's laboratory slab --- a great actor too I've been finding out. I also own a copy of the full "Giulio Cesare", and a copy of Boito's Mephistofele featuring Treigle.

I know this 1968 performance suffers from the old cut-and-paste approach to baroque opera performance as opposed to today's more historically correct and textually faithful approach. But listening to this CD set is such a revelation that historical accuracy hardly matters. The performances of Norman Treigle and, especially, Beverly Sills are emotionally and psychologically acute. And the singing, again especially of Ms. Sills, is ravishing, enchanting, enthralling. Listening to her enraptured singing of "V'adoro pupille" spun out to the last lovely notes has brought tears to my eyes, all of the sordid history of humanity redeemed for a few grateful moments.Buy it. Listen often. Be glad such beauty exists in this world.

Does not show off Treigle at his best. Wished I'd paid better attention to the comments which find fault with the pacing of Karl Richter. Oh well! Still better than nothing.

I was prepared to hear another muffled pirated recording of the Grande Dame, only to find that the Buenos Aires recording matches the quality of any of her studio performance. Add to that the vitality of opening night and singers at the height of their careers. I wish they had included more of Peter Schreir, a tenor of magnificent ability, but there are jewels enough in this treasure. Richter's conducting is a bit unusual if all you are familiar with are the Rudel recordings. His tempos are VERY slow throughout much of the opera. But all in all 5 stars plus in my book.

Got this for an aria V'adoro Pupille. Was surprised to find tempo so different from other singers' versions, and she has many added florishes, but it is enjoyable. The recording is from a live performance so there are coughs, etc., as well as wild applause, but a nice addition.

I ordered this because I was primarily interested in hearing the voices of Beverly Sills and Norman Treigle together, so this album of highlights from the opera featuring (mostly) only the work of these two singers is exactly what I wanted.It's not news that Handel's "Giulio Cesare" would have been better named "Cleopatra," just as Gounod's "Faust" would have been more appropriately named "Marguerite," but this CD gives Caesar and Cleopatra even treatment, and that's what I wanted, rather than the entire opera.Treigle's acting and his voice are superbly evocative as Caesar.

I bought the CD because I saw a video on YouTube.... Of Beverly sills "Queen Cleopatra".There are many other arias that I believe are beautiful, in Beverly sills is just fantastic!' 👼

Petrou's third recording of a complete Handel opera promises much, but unlike his two previous efforts (a peerless TAMERLANO which actually respects Handel's innovations and a solid ARIANNA), Petrou goes off the rails here. And what a shame! It's note complete, which is good. A few of the singers can be numbered among the best who've recorded the opera. BUT: There is too much liberty taken in ornamenting the B-sections of arias, to the point where coherence is lost in an anachronistic re-writing of the melody, which is something we thought went by-the-by when Richard Bonynge stopped recording Handel. Another problem is extremes of tempo: fast arias are frequently sung too fast, while slow arias are protracted beyond structural integrity. Consider Cesare's great set piece in Act II: "Se in fiorito." The singing by Hammarstrom is superb (she is far superior to Mijanovic for Minkowski in terms of vocal skill and characterization, and even better than the terrific Jennifer Larmore for Jacobs), but the repeat of the aria degenerates into silliness in the cadenza, and Handel's violin part is milked for a gaseous comic "turn". Galli's soprano is darker-hued and sappier than the soprano competition (i.e. Schlick), and she is capable of wonderful moments, but the great Act III lament/revenge statement ("Piangero la sorte mia") is turned into hash at the end. Nesi is a vivid Sesto, and seems to color her voice on this outing like a male falsettist. It's an interesting performance, but she's not as easy on the ear as Von Otter for Minkowski. Bernarda Fink's Cornelia for Jacobs remains unequalled, but the two basses, Magoulis and Christoyannis are among the best in their roles. This should be nobody's only recording of GC: for all its flaws (including a weak Sesto and a Cleopatra lacking sensuality), Jacobs is still the one to have.

Now I snapped this up very quickly on the basis of Petrou's earlier releases of  Arianna in Creta , Tamerlano  and  Oreste , all real gems and favourites among my collection. Petrou for me has failed to live up to expectations with this Giulio however. It's all very pleasant to be sure, but by comparison with those previous issues I don't think this is going to end up in my top rank.Soprano Emanuela Galli is a dependable though not truly outstanding Cleopatra; mezzo Mary-Ellen Nesi (Sesto) again delivers superbly and mezzo Romina Basso as Tolomeo could never be anything less than wonderful. Decent if support is given by mezzo Irini Karaianni (Cornelia), baritone Petros Magoulas (Curio) and countertenor Nikos Spanatis (Nireno). The Orchestra of Patras directed by Petrou play beautifully as always.My main problem really is in mezzo Kristina Hammarström as Cesare himself, who for me is a little feeble and unable to negotiate the coloratura passages with quite the level of skill as one would expect for such a starring role. It feels like a miscasting to me.The three disc set is packaged in a double jewel case along with a booklet with libretto plus English translation and notes in English, French & German. Arianna in CretaTamerlanoOreste

Gran decepción. Para resumir, parece una versión producto de una pesadilla producida por una mala digestión nocturna. Además, si tienes tanta prisa, no dirijas y cómprate un deportivo. Eso sí, no hieras a nadie más.

Eine wunderbare Live- Aufnahme mit einer hinreißenden Beverly Sills! Ein Hörgenuss!

Super !

Bon cd mais je n'ai pas encore tout écouter et retrouver le beau duo que j'ai entendu. L'interprétation me paraît bonne