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Giulio Cesare
On the rarest of occasions, an evening of opera reshapes history. This performance is one such moment, catapulting Beverly Sills to fame and restoring George Frideric Handel to the standard repertoire. Some choices may seem unusual by modern standards, beginning with the casting of Norman Treigle, a bass, as Caesar—a role originally written for a castrato. Yet Treigle makes the part his own, infusing it with a gravitas that few modern countertenors could achieve. Sills shines as Cleopatra, bringing both poignancy and playfulness to the role with effortless grace. She delivers the expected vocal fireworks but is most striking in the slower arias, such as "Se pietà di me non senti," which earns a thunderous ovation. Maureen Forrester captivates with her rich contralto, while Beverly Wolff brings both energy and vocal brilliance to the role of Sesto. Previous releases suffered from variable pitch, but this edition has been corrected for accuracy.
Track List
Act I
1. Sinfonia
2. Viva, viva il nostro Alcide!
3. Presti ormai l'egizia terra
4. Interlude
5. Empio, dirò, tu sei
6. Priva son d'ogni conforto
7. Svegliatevi nel core
8. Regni Cleopatra; ed al mio seggio intorno
9. Non disperar, chi sa?
10. L'empio, sleale, indegno
11. Alma del gran Pompeo
12. Piangerò la sorte mia
13. Se in fiorito ameno prato
14. Nel tuo seno, amico sasso
15. Cara speme, questo core
16. Va tacito e nascosto
17. Tu sei il cor di questo core
18. Son nato a lagrimar
2. Viva, viva il nostro Alcide!
3. Presti ormai l'egizia terra
4. Interlude
5. Empio, dirò, tu sei
6. Priva son d'ogni conforto
7. Svegliatevi nel core
8. Regni Cleopatra; ed al mio seggio intorno
9. Non disperar, chi sa?
10. L'empio, sleale, indegno
11. Alma del gran Pompeo
12. Piangerò la sorte mia
13. Se in fiorito ameno prato
14. Nel tuo seno, amico sasso
15. Cara speme, questo core
16. Va tacito e nascosto
17. Tu sei il cor di questo core
18. Son nato a lagrimar
Act II
19. Eseguisti, oh Nireno, quanto t'imposi?
20. V'adoro, pupille
21. Caro!.. Bella!... Più amabile beltà
22. Deh, piangete, oh mesti lumi
23. Se a me non sei crudele
24. Si spietata, il tuo rigore
25. Cessa omai di sospirar
26. L'angue offeso mai riposa
27. Al lampo dell'armi quest'alma guerriera
28. Che sento? Oh dio!
29. Quel torrente, che cade dal monte
30. Voi che mie fide ancelle un tempo foste
31. Da tempeste il legno infranto
32. Cornelia, è tempo omai
33. Non ha più che temere
34. Sinfonia e Marcia
35. Ritorni ormai nel nostro core
20. V'adoro, pupille
21. Caro!.. Bella!... Più amabile beltà
22. Deh, piangete, oh mesti lumi
23. Se a me non sei crudele
24. Si spietata, il tuo rigore
25. Cessa omai di sospirar
26. L'angue offeso mai riposa
27. Al lampo dell'armi quest'alma guerriera
28. Che sento? Oh dio!
29. Quel torrente, che cade dal monte
30. Voi che mie fide ancelle un tempo foste
31. Da tempeste il legno infranto
32. Cornelia, è tempo omai
33. Non ha più che temere
34. Sinfonia e Marcia
35. Ritorni ormai nel nostro core
Customer Reviews
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5.0
Based on 1 review
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Sills and Company are Terrific!
September 27, 1966 was the night that changed Beverly Sills' life forever. The Met's production of Barber's monumental Antony and Cleopatra had been less than overwhelming so many people walked across the plaza to the NYCO's production of Handel's Giulio Cesare.The singing from the entire cast was superb and from Sills sensational. Handel purists were not happy with the edition Rudel and director Capobianco had cobbled together, but most opera lovers were enchanted with what they heard. Sills justifies the praise heaped on her by the critics. Some objected to Treigle singing a castrato role with his dark, agile bass, yet he sounds like Cesare to the life. Forrester and Wolff are also first-rate.The sound is certainly good enough, the voices clearly heard over the orchestra. The tapist is a little fidgety here and there, but mostly keeps the mic still. I don't know if he or she was aware of the historical nature of the occasion; it may have been just another night at the opera.But for Sills it wasn't. From this time forward NYCO was not as much of an ensemble company as it had been as the management actively produced vehicles for its greatest star.All Sills fans should have this!
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