HANDEL'S GUILIO CESARE - AT THE ARTS THEATRE
As the late lamented Frank Muir once said ‘Handel – now there’s a name that can open doors.’ This opera had six giant doors – part of a very effective set, a sort of grand temple for all occasions. We are in ancient Egypt in the company of the opera’s hero Julius Caesar who has defeated his old rival Pompey but is willing to offer him mercy. Shock horror when we find that the defeated Pompey has been beheaded by Tolomeo, the wayward and very silly brother of Cleopatra. Cornelia, Pompey’s widow and her son Sesto threaten revenge but fall into the hands of the wicked Tolomeo. The scene is then set for much intrigue, sexual predation, love and hate. Ideal opera territory.
Handel’s long and winding opera was written in 1724 and though penned for the London stage was performed in Italian. Then as now, opera goers think English and arias don’t mix. So Italian it was. Luckily for we monolinguists, English Touring Opera gave us handy surtitles on large TV screens.
The eight-strong ETO cast were beautifully costumed in 18th century garb. I really liked this – modern dress a la 1724. ‘Star of the show’ accolade was shared between Francis Gush as a powerful Guilio C. and Susanna Hurrell, a quite magnificent Cleopatra. His counter-tenor voice was crystal clear, passionate and beefily battle-hardened. Hurrell was quite outstanding as the often coquettish, wily, willful, and by turns tragic and heroic would-be queen. Her soprano was strong, precise and well able to handle Handel’s tortuous vocal runs up and down the Baroque bar lines. Hurrell has real star quality and dominated the stage whenever on. There was a specially wondrous moment as a dreamy vision of Cleo as a saintly Madonna complete with Renaissance halo appears from behind a curtain. Another coup de theatre involved some real flames and a sinister aria from the deep bass voice of Achilla, Pompey’s executioner.
The pace of the piece is slow – often very slow – lots of internalised anguish or appeals to the heavens to avenge a wrong or bemoan a sad lot. Handel’s score is so gorgeous that lack of rapid action is not a deal breaker. One can drift into a Handelian daydream and come back to one’s seat at the Arts only to find that Cornelia’s lachrymose or ebulliently defiant aria is still only half way done. Daydreaming may be the reason why the surtitles were often well behind the action – only to catch up with a comically fast turnover of screen shots.
The production directed by James Conway was solid and unshowy allowing the acting, action and singing to do the business. There were some strange choices: Pompey’s separated head as a piece of glass looking like a bizarre crystal ball, an offstage choir (the local Fairhaven Singers) placed at the rear of the auditorium. None of that mattered or took away the enjoyment of this dramatic work. It had a few lighter moments such as the tussles between Cleo and her daft brother but the general tenor (though there is no tenor part) is dark. Edward Hawkins was a very good baddie – Achilla the murderous ally of Tolomeo with his lustful eyes on grieving Cornelia played with powerful conviction by Carolyn Dobbin. Alexander Chance was spot on as the boyish hero manqué Tolomeo way out of his depth
As the inevitable body count rose and the opera came to its dramatic but joyous ending, the full house gave the company, including its excellent orchestra, a rousing cheer. This was well deserved. It was a very wonderful and special night the opera. If anyone thinks otherwise, show them the doors!
