Julius Cesare Lyrics

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Chan 3019(3)
J.C. book cover.qxd 24/7/07 3:17 pm Page 1
George Frideric Handel
A
K
G
George Frideric Handel (16851759)
Julius Caesar
Libretto by Nicola Haym
English translation by Brian Trowell
Edition prepared by Noel Davies and Sir Charles Mackerras
Julius Caesar................................................................................Dame Janet Baker mezzo-soprano
Curio..........................................................................................Christopher Booth-Jones baritone
Cornelia ..............................................................................................Sarah Walker mezzo-soprano
Sextus ....................................................................................................Della Jones mezzo-soprano
Cleopatra................................................................................................Valerie Masterson soprano
Ptolemy ..............................................................................................James Bowman countertenor
Achillas ..........................................................................................................John Tomlinson bass
Nirenus ..................................................................................................David James countertenor
English National Opera Orchestra and Chorus
Victor Morris chorus master & assistant to the conductor
Noel Davies harpsichord continuo
Sir Charles Mackerras
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COMPACT DISC ONE
Overture 3:02 [p. 76]
Act I
Scene 1
Caesar! Caesar! Egypt acclaims thee 1:38 [p. 76]
Chorus
Kneel in tribute, fair land of Egypt 2:05 [p. 76]
Caesar
Curio, Caesar has come 2:33 [p. 76]
Caesar, Cornelia, Sextus, Achillas
Tyrant, avoid my sight 3:57 [p. 77]
Caesar
Mother! Cornelia! 0:43 [p. 77]
Sextus, Curio, Cornelia
Grief and woe all hope deny me 6:10 [p. 77]
Cornelia
The time for tears is over 0:27 [p. 78]
Sextus
Come rouse yourselves to vengeance 4:07 [p. 78]
Sextus
Scene 2
You shall be Queen, Cleopatra 2:00 [p. 78]
Cleopatra, Nirenus, Ptolemy
Yet why despair? 4:37 [p. 79]
Cleopatra
Pharaoh, my King! 1:10 [p. 79]
Achillas, Ptolemy
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4
3
2
1
4 5
Upstart, barbarian and traitor! 3:41 [p. 79]
Ptolemy
Scene 3
Spirit of mighty Pompey 5:19 [p. 80]
Caesar, Curio, Cleopatra, Nirenus
Here within thee, O friendly marble 3:03 [p. 81]
Cornelia
Alas! Reviled and neglected, must I remain
here for ever? 2:03 [p. 81]
Cornelia, Sextus, Cleopatra, Nirenus
O star of my desire 5:32 [p. 81]
Cleopatra
Scene 4
Caesar! A generous destiny 1:08 [p. 82]
Ptolemy, Caesar, Achillas
How silently, how slyly 6:29 [p. 82]
Caesar
Sire, with Sextus her son, the lady Cornelia 1:58 [p. 82]
Achillas, Cornelia, Sextus, Ptolemy
Neer reject a tender lover 5:13 [p. 83]
Achillas
Mother! My dearest! 0:37 [p. 83]
Sextus, Cornelia
Condemnd to grieve and cry, my love 7:44 [p. 83]
Cornelia, Sextus
TT 75:26 [p. 00]
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COMPACT DISC TWO
Act II
Scene 1
Have you done as I ordered, faithful
Nirenus? 2:48 [p. 84]
Cleopatra, Nirenus, Caesar
Lamenting, complaining of Caesars disdaining 4:37 [p. 84]
Cleopatra, Caesar
Fly then, fly, O my heart 0:42 [p. 85]
Caesar, Nirenus
Fleet oer flowery meadow gliding 7:47 [p. 85]
Caesar
Scene 2
Still despairing, still lamenting 2:19 [p. 85]
Cornelia
Lady, forget your grieving 2:05 [p. 85]
Achillas, Cornelia, Ptolemy
Deep within my bosom burning 3:19 [p. 86]
Ptolemy
So why delay? 1:17 [p. 86]
Cornelia, Sextus
Sigh no more, forget lamenting! 3:14 [p. 87]
Cornelia
He is no son who seeks not full revenge 0:23 [p. 87]
Sextus
Wounded, the serpent neer reposes 5:05 [p. 87]
Sextus
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8
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2
1
Scene 3
Soon he will come to find me 0:44 [p. 87]
Cleopatra
Venus, fair lady, one favour send me 4:53 [p. 87]
Cleopatra
Ah gods! What do I see? 2:49 [p. 88]
Caesar, Cleopatra, Curio
In anger and fury Ill turn on the foe 1:41 [p. 89]
Caesar, Chorus
They will kill him 1:10 [p. 89]
Cleopatra
Hear my prayer, O gods, relenting 9:40 [p. 89]
Cleopatra
TT 54:40 [p. 00]
COMPACT DISC THREE
Symphony 0:41 [p. 89]
Act III
Scene 1
So! You are beaten! 0:56 [p. 89]
Ptolemy, Cleopatra
I shall tame your pride unbending 4:14 [p. 90]
Ptolemy
And so in one brief hour all my glory is gone? 1:06 [p. 90]
Cleopatra
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1
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Scene 3
Symphony 2:59 [p. 93]
Here, Curio and your legions 2:27 [p. 93]
Nirenus, Caesar, Sextus, Cornelia, Cleopatra
Dearest! Fairest! 5:45 [p. 93]
Cleopatra, Caesar
Long, long may Egypt continue 0:29 [p. 94]
Caesar
Proclaim we all great Caesars glory 0:52 [p. 94]
Chorus
A vow I give you 0:57 [p. 94]
Caesar, Cleopatra
Proclaim we all great Caesars glory 0:49 [p. 94]
Chorus
TT 53:50 [p. 00]
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Flow, my tears 6:50 [p. 90]
Cleopatra
From the perils of the ocean 2:06 [p. 90]
Caesar
Zephyrs! Zephyrs, come to mine aid! 6:35 [p. 90]
Caesar
Nirenus, the battle is fought and lost 2:32 [p. 91]
Sextus, Achillas, Caesar, Curio
See in spate the high cataract storming 4:33 [p. 92]
Caesar
Scene 2
Ladies, my faithful servants 3:25 [p. 92]
Cleopatra, Caesar
Stormy winds my ship had shaken 6:24 [p. 92]
Cleopatra
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Handel and the Aria Opera
Opera seria serious opera was the most
important and prestigious creation of the
musical Baroque. Without its techniques,
conventions and aesthetic, Handels oratorios
and Bachs mastery of the aria and of melodic
ornamentation could not have developed as
they did. Yet it is only recently that our opera
houses have begun to take opera seria seriously,
on its own terms. Perhaps audiences will learn
to find in its very artificialities and unrealities
a source of strength: more than any other art
form, opera needs its conventions an agreed
framework, an expected pattern from which
significant departures may be made. Yet today,
when anything goes, theatre music can be
poured like reinforced concrete into any shape
or mould. Many a modern composer who has
ventured into opera will ruefully tell you, if he
is honest, that he feels hamstrung from the
start by the lack of any agreed common
language linking stage and audience. In such a
context, the rigidities of Baroque convention
become a welcome strength.
It is something of a paradox that the very
finest Italian opere serie of the Baroque should
have been written by a Saxon living in
London, setting libretti almost never designed
specially for him, in a language which was
neither his own nor that of his audience
(though they probably understood Italian
better than a modern British audience, and
had bi-lingual libretti to follow). But Handels
isolation gave him certain advantages. He
could adapt libretti much more easily to his
will, truncating the often long-winded fine
sentiments of the recitatives in order to make
room for more and longer arias and, in spite
of current misconceptions, it is in the
succession of arias, not in the recitatives, that
the essential continuity of the action lies.
Handel seems to have exercised much more
control over his company and his performers
than might have been the case in the typical
Italian opera company at an Italian or South
German court: the Royal Academy of Music,
though it enjoyed court patronage, was set up,
in typical British fashion, as a joint-stock
company. Handel must also have drawn
valuable artistic support from the more
discerning of his noble patrons in Augustan
London, men such as the Earl of Burlington.
temptations, the latter the will failing and the
individual destroyed). How should great
princes behave? How use their absolute power
when public duty and private love come into
conflict? How choose a wife? How conduct
themselves so that their gloire their good
name, reputation, honour should continue
to justify the admiration and obedience of
their subjects and their families? These were
very important matters in an age of unfettered
absolutism, when marriage and inheritance
could lead to dynastic conflicts such as the War
of the Spanish Succession. The French
Revolution and the arrival of bourgeois
constitutional monarchy naturally robbed
opera seria, at this level, of most of its overt
contemporary relevance.
All the same, Corneille and Racine reached
beyond their immediate subject-matter to
universal truths expressed in timeless verse
and powerful dramatic portraiture, so that
their plays, greater than their local themes,
still survive. The same is true of Handels
musical dramas. The individual arias, of
course, were never forgotten, and many have
been sung as concert pieces since the time
when Walsh or Cluer first published them.
That being so, and in view of the fact that
the operas consist of solo arias and very little
else, it is perhaps odd that we have had to wait
It is easy to forget when we read the often self-
interested attacks on Italian opera by writers
such as Addison and Steele, or accounts of the
frivolity of the London audience, that Handels
dramatic perceptions were subtler and stronger
than theirs, that he had not been nurtured on a
diet of Otway and Rowe, and that much of the
sensitive writing on the aesthetics of painting
and architecture that he might have read in
such authors as Shaftesbury was very relevant
to the highly pictorial aria opera. The choice
of the significant moment, the exact narrative
point or single emotional crisis with which
painting or aria must deal, which gesture, tone,
texture and design must combine to illuminate,
is at the very heart of Handels operatic
method, which is at once highly analytical and
extraordinarily concentrated and passionate.
The general themes of opera seria can often
seem irrelevant to us today. Whether the story
is classical myth, medieval history or epic
fantasy, the subject-matter is essentially
concerned with the behaviour of the great and
powerful, of the kings, princes and dukes who
had fostered the new art and used it to
celebrate court occasions. Behind a typical
Handel libretto we can trace the moral and
social concerns of the earlier French dramatists
Corneille and Racine (the former shows the
individual will triumphing over its
Handel: Julius Caesar
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so long to arrive at the proper understanding
of the principles by which Handel used them
to portray characters and arranged them into
significantly grouped sequences to make a
scene, an act, a whole opera.
The method is like Hogarths. His famous
sets of oil-paintings, soon made into best-
selling prints, such as The Rakes Progress, need
no narration or recitative. He selects for
depiction various significant moments in the
Rakes or the Harlots story and arranges
around his central character such a wealth of
telling detail, all relevant to the main point at
issue Rakewell buying love in a brothel,
Rakewell buying social admiration that we
ourselves, as we examine the detail, diffuse the
imagery in our minds beyond the spatial and
temporal confines of the picture; the
wainscoting between the separate paintings, as
we walk from one to another, becomes charged
with the implications of the story. A similar
parallel might be made with Richardsons
methods of analytical narration in the novel,
by means of a sequence of individual letters.
If we examine Handels depiction of
Cleopatra by means of the aria, perhaps with
Shakespeares Cleopatra at the back of our
minds, we shall arrive at a better notion of the
largely unrecorded aesthetic and dramaturgy
that governed Handels methods. He drew her
in an analytical sequence of eight solo arias,
two accompanied recitatives and a duet, each
item carefully placed with an eye to contrast
and continuity amid the larger sequence of
forty-odd items, almost all solo arias.
Her first aria, Yet why despair?, is a
common-time allegro in E, accompanied by all
the violins in unison supported by violas and
basses. The violas play only in the orchestral
tuttis, and in the middle section the violins too
drop out. The main musical themes of the aria
which, unusually, are not derived from the
vocal line show that she is teasing her
detested brother Ptolemy, mocking and jeering
at him as an effeminate lad unfit to rule. This
is achieved with repeated notes, emphatic
crotchets with mordents or staccato quavers,
giving way to short pointed phrases and
laughing runs. Even the expected vocal
fioritura on words such as heart and console
takes on a tone of ironic guying. The musical
drama of the aria is not in the least static in
spite of the repeated words; it continually ebbs
and flows with different shades of feeling; and
this is true of all Handels arias.
Cleopatras next aria (here omitted) is also,
like many others to come, in a sharp and
brilliant key, A major; it is a 3/8 allegro for the
same combination of strings, but Handel adds
deeper tone to the vocal line by edging it with
an oboe. Disguised as a court lady, Cleopatra
has succeeded in winning Caesars heart, and
the aria shows her frankly delighting in her
beautys power over the conqueror of the
world. It is a dance of pleasure and naive self-
display, its alert rhythms and brilliant chains of
semiquavers veering unexpectedly from forte to
piano and back, with a more intimate middle
section accompanied by violins and bass alone.
Her third aria is simpler and softer, a 6/8
allegro ma non troppo in B flat. She has enlisted
Sextus and Cornelia to help her fight Ptolemy,
and what had started as mere pique, almost a
game, has now grown into a settled hope that
she can rid Egypt of her tyrannical brother and
win both the throne and Caesars lasting love.
The high violins, now in unison and now in
lulling thirds, tell of the distant star of hope
and the gentle thrill of pleasure and love
finding mature gratification.
The first aria in Act II, elaborately
accompanied by all the Muses, is an alluring
song of love, at once worshipping and
captivating Caesar. It is a 3/4 largo, in F.
Cleopatra has a halo of nine solo instruments
on stage (including theorbo and harp); in the
pit, the muted four-part strings echo Caesars
adoring sighs of admiration, falling silent for
the middle section. In the next aria she awaits
him in her apartments and prays to Venus to
lend her all Cupids charms. This is a 3/8
allegro in A for unison violins and bass,
dropping to solo violin when the voice enters
and to continuo alone during the middle
section. The music suggests both a charming
prayer to the mother of love, and a portrait of
the shining attractions Cleopatra hopes to
acquire: for Caesar does not know who she is
and she wants him to ask her to marry him in
spite of the fact that she is apparently a mere
commoner. Just before the next aria, Caesar
has rushed off to defend himself from a
treacherous surprise attack by Ptolemys men.
Left in uncertainty and suspense, and now
realizing how deeply she loves Caesar,
Cleopatra utters an anguished prayer for his
safety: if he dies, so will she. Falling phrases in
the bass and dragging suspensions in the
bassoons suggest that she is humbling herself
before the gods; throbbing quavers in the inner
strings support shorter, broken gestures in the
first violins, now despairing, now pleading,
while Cleopatra herself has a quite
independent thematic line in her appeals for
divine aid. The piece is a common-time largo
in F sharp minor, contrapuntally conceived
and highly Bachian in tone.
In Act III, Caesar is believed dead,
Cleopatras forces have been defeated, and she
expects to be put to death. We return to
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E major and a slow 3/8 for the keen grief of
Flow, my tears, a justly famous aria which
turns to a different affect, texture and tempo
for its middle section. The first part has a flute
(hitherto associated with Cornelia, the
mourning widow) silvering the line of the first
violins, which is supported by second violins
and basses only; Cleopatras sorrowing cantilena
is constantly echoed by a chiming figure of
grief and regret, two rising notes and the
second repeated, which develops from her
opening interval of a third (there is no
introductory ritornello) into a fourth, a fifth
and finally an octave. The middle section, a
common-time allegro where she furiously vows
to return and haunt Ptolemy as a ghost,
replaces the flute with a solo cello, suggesting,
with the runs in the vocal line, implacable
pursuit of the villain from beyond the grave;
this tinges the return of the opening section
(made the more intense by additional
ornament, as all da capo reprises should be)
with an additional ironic poignancy.
Cleopatras final solo, with Caesar triumphant
and Ptolemy as good as destroyed, is an
example of the simile aria on the hackneyed
image of the storm-tossed ship arrived safely in
harbour. It is a common-time allegro in
Cleopatras opening key of E. But Handels
simile arias are invariably character-portraits as
well, and this one is a picture of the future
queens serene and shining delight, growing to
intense exultation at dangers past and joys in
prospect. The violins are sometimes in unison
with the voice, and sometimes, divisi, they
deepen her calm joy with taut repeated quavers.
The last we hear of Cleopatra is a golden duet
with Caesar, where the lovers plight their troth;
this is in G, a slowish allegro in 12/8 for
divided violins, oboes and bass, dropping to
continuo alone for the middle section; the
lovers also sing a minore trio, with oboes and
bassoon, in the final bourre ensemble.
We see and hear Handels heroine, like
Shakespeares, in a matchless variety of moods;
each is thoroughly explored in a brilliantly
concentrated and epigrammatic portrait,
framed by orchestral ritornellos of ever-varied
texture (in which the art lies in the string-
writing rather than in a more spectacular
deployment of obbligato instruments). The
portraits contrast with each other and, of
course, even more with the similar suites of
arias for other characters in which they are
embedded, with an art fully comparable to
Racines famous enchanement de scnes, the
linking of a sequence of scenes. The aria opera
developed perfectly naturally as the
quintessence of the chief expressive and
structural elements in Baroque music, using an
analytical method of presentation which is
common in other art forms of the time as well.
Form and matter are one, and it need not
disturb us that there are no concerted finales
and almost no ensembles of any kind. Even the
psychology of the much-scorned exit aria is in
fact perfectly valid: the opera is experienced as
a series of wave-like crescendos of dramatic
excitement, each of which ends in a crisis for
one of the characters, who sings an aria, after
which there is for the moment no more to be
said until a new sequence of events has placed
that character in a new posture requiring a new
aria. (In French opera of the time, arias often
begin an act, so that the ensuing action dangles
after them; in practice, this usually seems less
psychologically satisfying.) It has been all too
easy, for the past two centuries, for historians
and critics to go on repeating Glucks censures
on mid-eighteenth-century opera seria as if they
were intended to refer to the operas of
Alessandro Scarlatti and Handel, which
probably Gluck, and certainly those who quote
him, had never heard. It may well be that the
caprice and vanity of singers had increased
during the lean years of the 1740s and 50s; but
the virtuosity which Handels operas demand is
never empty. He was writing for the greatest
singers in the world; but their superb vocal
technique would have been useless without the
dramatic and musical insight, passion and sense
of style which alone make the impossible
conventions of opera seria not merely possible
but vital and viable for us today.
Brian Trowell
A Note on the Edition
Julius Caesar is not only one of Handels best-
known operas, it is also one of his longest.
When English National Opera produced the
opera in 1979, a number of cuts were made in
order to bring it to a manageable length under
non-festival conditions. When asked to take
the production into the recording studio, we
pondered as to whether to record the work in
full, there being no necessity to adhere to the
time limits imposed by theatrical conditions.
This, however, would have involved such a lot
of re-arrangement of the version, that it would
no longer have been the same ENO
production which had been seen and enjoyed
by so many opera lovers. Immense care had
been taken in deciding which of the arias
should be cut, in order to produce a coherent
and flowing version of the mighty work, so we
decided to leave well alone, restoring only two
passages which had been cut at a late stage in
our rehearsals: the B section and da capo of
the final duet and Ptolemys aria in Act II.
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Most of the arias and duets in Julius Caesar
are written in the da capo ABA form, and
this form is an inherent part of the Handelian
operatic style. It therefore seemed better to me
to cut whole arias rather than spoil Handels
three-part scheme. Caesar, Cleopatra and
Cornelia, therefore, have lost one aria each,
Sextus has lost three, and the others have each
lost two. One whole scene, at the end of the
second act, has been omitted and the
recitatives, which carry the story forward, have
been shortened.
All those who have been involved in the
selection of the music for this production hope
that Handels dramatic contrasts, his key
sequences (despite certain transpositions to suit
some of the cast) and the general flow of this
great masterpiece have not been too much
impaired by the cuts which we have found it
necessary to make for the practical reasons
mentioned above. The ornamentation of the
reprises and cadenzas are the work of several
people, including the singers themselves, as was
done in Handels time. These embellishments
are written specifically to suit the talents of the
singers of the ENO production and the
characters they represent. They are not an
attempted reconstruction of the manner in
which a Senesino or a Cuzzoni might have
ornamented the same arias.
Handel himself adapted his music to suit
different singers and indeed recomposed parts
of Julius Caesar when the role of Sextus was
changed from a (female) soprano into a tenor.
One wonders what he would have done had he
been confronted with the brilliant upper
register of Dame Janet Baker, after having
originally composed the role of Caesar for
Senesino, a deep-voiced castrato with a range
of little more than an octave. Would he have
recomposed those marvellously characterized
and richly diverse arias, or would he have
adapted them to suit the different type of
singer? He is unfortunately not around to
give us counsel, or to adapt Julius Caesar
for us, so we had to take the plunge and
make rather large changes in the tessitura
and keys of Caesars arias, particularly in the
da capos.
Similarly, the orchestral parts of the score
have been edited so that members of the ENO
Orchestra, playing on their normal modern
instruments, can produce the rhythms and
expression of an eighteenth-century orchestra.
A Baroque cello is being used with the
harpsichord to accompany the recitatives and a
viola da gamba and theorbo for Cleopatras
seductive stage band in Act II. Otherwise the
orchestra consists entirely of modern
instruments, including flutes instead of
recorders (which only blend well with other
baroque instruments).
The opening and closing choruses, plus a
short revolutionary chorus, off-stage, were
originally sung by all the available soloists
(even though at the end two of the characters
are dead!). In fact, their names (Durastanti,
Robinson, Berenstadt, etc.) appear in the
original score instead of the voices. However,
it was thought more appropriate to replace
this tiny ensemble with a real chorus, albeit
a small one.
Synopsis
The Scene is Egypt, in and around Alexandria.
Act I
Caesar is hailed by the Egyptian populace.
He agrees to peace at the request of Pompeys
wife, Cornelia, and young son, Sextus.
Achillas, Ptolemys general, then approaches
and declares his masters friendship for Caesar.
To prove it, one of his followers comes forward
with the severed head of Pompey. The Romans
are appalled and Caesar furiously denounces
Ptolemys cruelty, telling Achillas to warn his
master of his imminent arrival. In her grief,
Cornelia tries to kill herself but Sextus and
Curio prevent her. Then Sextus assures her that
he will avenge his fathers death.
Cleopatra learns of Pompeys murder and
resolves to enlist Caesars support to confirm
her sole authority in Egypt. Ptolemy overhears
her and mocks her claim; Cleopatra suggests
that he might be more successful with girls
than at ruling a kingdom. Achillas reports
Caesars reaction to Ptolemys gift and swears,
on condition that Cornelia should be his, to
destroy Caesar. Ptolemy vows to be revenged
on Caesar for his insult.
Caesar contemplates Pompeys funeral urn.
Cleopatra, disguised as her attendant Lydia,
arrives. She begs Caesars assistance in righting
the wrongs done to Cleopatra by her brother;
and Caesar, overwhelmed by her beauty,
readily agrees. Just as she is about to leave,
Cornelia enters, grieving for her husband.
When Cleopatra realizes that Cornelia and
Sextus have determined to kill Ptolemy, she,
maintaining her disguise, offers to help. She
looks forward to success and proposes that her
trusted adviser, Nirenus, should introduce
them to the palace.
Although Ptolemy receives Caesar in great
splendour, neither trusts the other, and
Ptolemy plots to kill Caesar that very night.
Caesar sees through the deception. Then
Cornelia and Sextus are presented and Sextus
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challenges Ptolemy to single combat. In
response, Ptolemy has them both arrested,
sending Cornelia to work in the harem gardens
as a slave, and imprisoning Sextus in the
palace. Achillas advises Cornelia that he could
ease her suffering if she would love him but she
scornfully rejects him. Mother and son are
parted from each other.
Act II
Cleopatra has arranged a surprise
entertainment for Caesar. She appears to him,
in a garden of the palace, as Virtue enthroned
upon Parnassus, attended by the nine muses
and sings the famous aria, Lamenting,
complaining of Caesars disdaining. Caesar is
entranced and follows Nirenus to her rooms.
Cornelia sadly reflects on her wretchedness
but nothing will persuade her to accept the
advances of Achillas. She angers Ptolemy also
by refusing to listen to his protestations of love.
In despair, she prepares to throw herself to the
tigers which guard the seraglio. Suddenly
Sextus enters, having escaped from
imprisonment, and she is cheered by his
determination to set her free. Sextus swears
revenge on Ptolemy.
Cleopatra eagerly awaits Caesar. She
pretends to be asleep when he enters, so that
she overhears him speak of his love for her. As
he talks of marriage, she awakens: he is taken
aback and his apparent reluctance dismays her.
At that moment, Curio interrupts them with
the news that Ptolemys men are searching the
palace to kill Caesar. Cleopatra amazes them
by declaring her real identity but not even she
can stop her brothers henchmen. Caesar
asserts his courage and runs to meet his
enemies. Cleopatra listens to the fighting and
prays for his safety.
Act III
Caesar has been overpowered in the struggle
and is falsely believed to have drowned in the
sea. Cleopatra has declared war on Ptolemy but
has been defeated and captured. Ptolemy
denounces her unnatural behaviour and puts
her in chains. In despair Cleopatra
contemplates her sudden misfortune in the
celebrated lament Flow, my tears.
Caesar recalls his defeat and thinks of
Cleopatra. Curio and Sextus approach but
before they see him they find Achillas, who is
fatally wounded. He confesses, as he dies, to the
murder of Pompey, and to the attempted
assassination of Caesar. He also relates that he
turned traitor when Ptolemy refused to let him
take Cornelia, his promised reward. He then
gives them a ring which will grant them the
command of his forces and which will enable
19
them to enter the palace in order to kill
Ptolemy. Caesar comes forward and grasps the
ring: the three Romans are joyfully reunited and
determine to rescue Cornelia and Cleopatra.
Cleopatra urges her attendants to escape
before her brother has them killed. She hears
the clash of arms and prepares for her death,
but it is Caesar who enters, sword in hand, to
embrace and rescue her.
Before the assembled legions and populace
of Alexandria, Caesar is hailed as Emperor of
Rome. Sextus relates how he killed Ptolemy,
and Cornelia presents Caesar with the regalia
of Egypt. Turning to Cleopatra, Caesar crowns
her Queen of Egypt and together, amid general
rejoicing, they proclaim their eternal love.
English National Opera
Dame Janet Baker has appeared with the
worlds most distinguished conductors and
orchestras and has recorded for all the major
record companies. She was born in Yorkshire
and began studying with Helene Isepp and
later Meriel St Clair. In 1956 she won second
prize in the Kathleen Ferrier Award and since
then she has achieved worldwide recognition as
an artist of equal distinction in Lieder, opera
and on the concert platform. Notable
appearances included Purcells Dido at
Aldeburgh with the English Opera Group in
1962, the title role in Brittens The Rape of
Lucretia, (1964 and 1970), and the role of
Kate in Owen Wingrave (1971).
For The Royal Opera she sang Vitellia (La
clemenza di Tito), and Glucks Alceste, for
Glyndebourne Penelope (Monteverdis Il
ritorno dUlisse in patria), and Diana/Jupiter
(Cavallis La Calisto), for Scottish Opera Dido
(Berliozs Les troyens), and for English National
Opera she sang a repertory ranging from
Monteverdi to Massenets Werther, including
Handels Julius Caesar and Marguerite in
Berliozs The Damnation of Faust. Her latest
appearances with the company were in its
production of Mary Stuart. Numerous honours
have been awarded her, including the
Hamburg Shakespeare Prize (1971), and
honorary degrees from the Universities of
London, Birmingham and Oxford. Janet Baker
was made a CBE in 1970 and a DBE in 1976.
She was made a Companion of Honour in
1994. Her many recordings include Handels
Ariodante, Donizettis Mary Stuart, Glucks
Orfeo ed Euridice, Mahlers Das Lied von der
Erde and numerous recital discs.
Christopher Booth-Jones was born in
Somerset and studied at the Royal Academy of
Music. He started his operatic career touring
20 21
with Welsh National Opera for All, and went
on to perform with Welsh National Opera,
Glyndebourne Festival and Touring Operas,
Kent Opera and the English Music Theatre.
Roles at English National Opera have included
Papageno, Dr Falke, Schaunard, Silvio,
Pantaloon (The Love for Three Oranges), Elviro
(Xerxes), Count Almaviva (The Marriage of
Figaro), and Giorgio Germont. He has also
appeared with Opera North and the Royal
Opera, and broadcasts regularly for BBC
Radios 2, 3 and 4, and for Radio France and
Belgian Radio. Recordings include Carmen,
Billy Budd, Sondheims Pacific Overtures
and Tosca (for Chandos/Peter Moores
Foundation).
Sarah Walker began her musical life studying
violin at the Royal College of Music and
subsequently singing with Vera Rosza, with
whom she has built up a wide repertoire
ranging from Bach and Monteverdi to
twentieth-century works by composers such as
Berio, Boulez, Cage, Henze, Ligeti, Copland
and Ives. She is much in demand on the
concert platform worldwide, where she has
worked with Ozawa, Davis, Mackerras, Solti,
Norrington, Boulez, Rozhdestvensky, Masur,
Harnoncourt and Rattle.
Sarah Walker is closely associated with The
Royal Opera where she has performed roles
such as Baba the Turk (The Rakes Progress),
Charlotte (Werther), Mrs Sedley (Peter Grimes),
and in Sallinens The King Goes Forth to France,
Maxwell Daviess Taverner and Handels
Samson. With English National Opera her
many roles include Mary Stuart, Charlotte, the
Countess (The Queen of Spades), the title role
in Brittens Gloriana, and Katisha (The
Mikado). She has also performed in Geneva,
San Francisco, Chicago, at the Metropolitan
Opera, New York and at Glyndebourne and is
well known as a recitalist. Recordings include
Peter Grimes, Romo et Juliette, Mendelssohns
A Midsummer Nights Dream, La traviata and
Martha (Gounods Faust, for Chandos/Peter
Moores Foundation).
Della Jones, one of Britains leading mezzo-
sopranos, was born in Neath and studied at the
Royal College of Music where she won many
prizes, including the Kathleen Ferrier
Memorial Scholarship. Her wide repertoire
ranges from early through to contemporary
music. She has appeared with all the major
British opera companies, and foreign
engagements have included performances in
the United States, Russia, Japan, Canada and
throughout Europe. Roles include the title
roles in Ariodante, La Cenerentola and Carmen,
Rosina, Herodias (Salome), Baba the Turk (The
Rakes Progress), Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro),
the Hostess (Boris Godunov) and Aunt
Hermance in Gavin Bryarss Doctor Oxs
Experiment.
Della Jones is a regular broadcaster on radio
and television, both in this country and
abroad, and her many recordings include
Alcina, Lincoronazione di Poppea, Dido and
Aeneas, La clemenza di Tito, Korngolds Die
Kathrin, and The Barber of Seville (for
Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation).
Valerie Masterson was born in Birkenhead and
studied in London and Milan. She sang at
Salzburg for a season and then joined the
DOyly Carte Opera Company as principal
soprano. She has sung with all the major opera
companies in the UK as well as extensively
abroad including appearances at Aix-en-
Provence, Nancy, Montpelier, the Paris Opra,
Toulouse, Bordeaux, Geneva, Rouen, Prague,
Dublin, Munich, Marseilles, the Piccola Scala
Milan, Barcelona, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Santiago, San Francisco, New York and
Houston.
Her wide-ranging repertoire includes the
title roles in La traviata, Manon, Louise,
Mireille, Die lustige Witwe and Semele, Madame
Lidoine (Dialogues des carmlites), Micala,
Susanna and Countess Almaviva, Sophie and
the Marschallin, Mim, Marguerite (Faust),
Antonia (Les contes dHoffmann) and The King
Goes Forth to France with The Royal Opera.
Valerie Masterson appears regularly on radio
and television and her recordings include
Elisabetta, Regina dInghilterra, Das Rheingold,
Gtterdmmerung, several Gilbert and Sullivan
operettas, and La traviata.
James Bowman has been one of the worlds
leading countertenors for nearly thirty years.
His career spans opera, oratorio, contemporary
music and solo recitals. He began singing as a
chorister at Ely Cathedral and later went to
New College, Oxford, where he was a member
of the chapel choir. He made his London debut
in 1967 when he was invited by Britten to sing
at the opening concert of the new Queen
Elizabeth Hall. He was soon in demand on
both the opera stage and the concert platform,
appearing at Sadlers Wells (A Midsummer
Nights Dream), Glyndebourne (La Calisto),
English National Opera (Semele), and The
Royal Opera (Taverner). Abroad he has sung in
Paris, at La Fenice in Venice, La Scala, Milan,
Aix-en-Provence, the Syndey Opera House and
in the USA.
James Bowman has made over 150
recordings including Brittens Death in Venice,
22 23
A Midsummer Nights Dream and Rejoice in the
Lamb, Orfeo ed Euridice, and Monteverdis
Orfeo.
John Tomlinson was born in Lancashire and
gained a degree in Civil Engineering at
Manchester before winning a scholarship to
the Royal Manchester College of Music. He
has sung regularly with English National
Opera since 1974 and with The Royal Opera
since 1976, and has also appeared with Opera
North, Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne
Festival and Touring Operas and Kent
Opera. Early roles included Figaro, Masetto,
Hunding, Hagen, Pimen and King Henry
(Lohengrin).
He has sung at the Bayreuth Festival every
year since 1988, where he has been heard as
Wotan (Das Rheingold and Die Walkre),
the Wanderer (Siegfried), Titurel and
Gurnemanz (Parsifal ) and King Mark (Tristan
und Isolde). Other roles include Hans Sachs
(Die Meistersinger), Landgraf (Tannhuser),
Hagen (Gtterdmmerung) and Baron Ochs
(Der Rosenkavalier). Recordings include
the Ring cycle, Verdis La forza del destino
and La traviata, and highlights from
Mussorgskys Boris Godunov and Strausss
Der Rosenkavalier (for Chandos/Peter Moores
Foundation).
David James was a choral scholar at Magdalen
College, Oxford and subsequently joined the
choir of Westminster Abbey. He won first
prize in the s-Hertogenbosch competition
in the Netherlands in 1978 and has since
enjoyed an international career as a soloist
and ensemble singer, performing with groups
such as The Sixteen, and taking major operatic
roles for English National Opera, Handel
Opera, Geneva Opera and the Aldeburgh
Festival.
A founder member of the Hilliard
Ensemble, David James gives some 100
concerts a year with this group, performing
medieval, Renaissance and contemporary
repertoire. His solo engagements have taken
him worldwide, and he specializes in Baroque
and contemporary music. Recordings include
Bachs St John and St Matthew Passions,
Handels Messiah and Prts Passio.
Sir Charles Mackerras was born in 1925 of
Australian parents in the USA and studied in
Sydney and Prague. He made his debut as an
opera conductor at Sadlers Wells, where he
was instrumental in producing the sensational
first British performance of Janceks Kta
Kabanov, which led to Jancek becoming
standard repertory in the UK. He was First
Conductor of the Hamburg Opera (19669)
and Musical Director of both Sadlers Wells
(later English National) Opera (197077), and
of Welsh National Opera (198792), where his
notable Jancek productions, amongst many
others, won great acclaim. The production and
recording of Osud were sponsored by the Peter
Moores Foundation, who also sponsored the
recording of The Cunning Little Vixen. He is
Conductor Laureate of the Scottish Chamber
Orchestra, Conductor Emeritus of Welsh
National Opera, Principal Guest Conductor of
the San Francisco Opera, and from the
1998/99 season he is Music Director of the
Orchestra of St Lukes New York.
Sir Charles Mackerras has undertaken much
research into performance practice of the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, which has
profoundly affected todays interpretations. His
vast discography includes an award-winning
cycle of Jancek operas with the Vienna
Philharmonic Orchestra, Brittens Gloriana
(which won a Gramophone Award), Beethoven,
Brahms and Mahler Symphonies, and with
English National Opera Donizettis Mary
Stuart and Verdis La traviata.
Sir Charles Mackerras received a CBE in
1974 and was knighted for his services to
music in 1979. He has also received The Medal
of Merit from the Czech Republic and has been
made a Companion of the Order of Australia.
24 25
C
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James Bowman
as Ptolemy
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B
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Della Jones
as Sextus
26 27
C
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B
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P
M
F
PETER MOORES, CBE, DL
Peter Moores was born in Lancashire in 1932, son of Sir John Moores, founder of the giant
Littlewoods mail order, chain store and football pools group. He was educated at Eton and
Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Modern Languages. He was already fluent in
German and Italian. It was opera which was his great love, however. He had worked at
Glyndebourne before going up to university, and at the end of his second year he left
Oxford to become a production student at the Vienna State Opera. He was required to
attend morning rehearsals and evening performances, but the afternoons were free, so he
enrolled as well for a four-year course at the Viennese Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
By the end of his third year Moores had produced the Viennese premiere of Brittens
The Rape of Lucretia, had worked as Assistant Producer at the
San Carlo Opera House, Naples, the Geneva Festival and the
Rome Opera, and seemed set for a successful operatic career.
At this point he received a letter from his father asking him
to come home as he was needed in the firm. Family loyalty
was paramount and he returned to Liverpool immediately.
By 1977 he was Chairman of Littlewoods. Three years
later he stepped down from the post, although still
remaining on the Board, and was director of a merchant
bank. From 1981 to 1983 he was a Governor of the BBC,
and a Trustee of the Tate Gallery from 1978 until 1985. In
May 1992 he became a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire.
And in the New Years Honours List for 1991 he was made a
CBE for his charitable services to the Arts.
He had started his early twenties giving financial support
to various young artists, several of whom such as Geraint Evans, Joan Sutherland and Colin
Davis have since become world-famous. Moores has always been astute in his recognition
of potential quality. In 1964 he set aside a large slice of his inheritance to found the Peter
Moores Foundation, a charity designed to support those causes dear to his heart: to make
music and the arts more accessible to more people; to give encouragement to the young; to
fight discrimination and to improve race relations. 99% of the Foundations money has come
from Peter Mooress own pocket so far about 33 million in todays money.
PETER MOORES FOUNDATION
In the field of music, the Peter Moores Foundation awards scholarships to promising young
opera singers through the Royal Northern College of Music. Financial help may be given also
to enable a singer to study abroad, or to work on a new role with an acknowledged expert in
the repertoire.
In the last twenty years the Foundation has supported the recording of forty operas. Many
are sung in English, in translation, because Moores believes that in the popular repertoire,
what people want is to be able to follow the plot of an opera and understand what is going
on. Others are of interesting but unperformed Italian operas from the early nineteenth
century (the age of bel canto), which are otherwise only accessible to scholars. Accessibility is
the key word.
The same criterion holds where live opera is concerned. So the Foundation may sponsor
Welsh National Opera, performing for a week at the Liverpool Empire and charging only
2.50 per ticket the provision being that each ticket holder must be a first-time opera
visitor or it may fund the production at Glyndebourne of Ermione, a bel canto opera never
before performed in England.
The aim is always the same: availability. Share and enjoy is his philosophy. Peter Moores, CBE, DL
28
Hndel und die Arien-Oper
Opera seria die ernste Oper war die
bedeutendste und renommierteste Schpfung
des musikalischen Barock. Ohne ihre
Techniken, Konventionen und sthetik htten
sich Hndels Oratorien und Bachs
Meisterschaft auf dem Gebiet der Arie und der
melodischen Verzierung nicht so entwickeln
knnen, wie sie es getan haben. Und dennoch
haben unsere Opernhuser erst neuerdings
angefangen, die Opera seria um ihrer selbst
willen ernstzunehmen. Vielleicht wird das
Publikum lernen, in ihrer Knstlichkeit und
Unwirklichkeit eine Quelle der Kraft zu
entdecken: Mehr als jede andere Kunstform
bedarf die Oper ihrer Konventionen eines
Rahmenwerks, ber das man sich einig ist, ein
Grundmuster des Erwarteten, von dem
signifikant abgewichen werden darf. Dabei lt
sich heute, in einer Zeit, in der alles erlaubt ist,
Bhnenmusik wie Beton in jede gewnschte
Form oder Schablone gieen. Manch ein
moderner Komponist, der sich in den Bereich
der Oper vorgewagt hat, wird einem, wenn er
ehrlich ist, reumtig anvertrauen, da er sich
sogleich vom Fehlen einer vereinbarten,
gemeinsamen Sprache, die die Kluft zwischen
Bhne und Publikum berbrckt, wie gelhmt
gefhlt hat. In so einem Umfeld werden die
starren Regeln barocker Konvention zur
willkommenen Sttze.
Es ist gewi paradox, da ausgerechnet die
gelungensten italienischen Opere serie des
Barock von einem in London ansssigen
Sachsen stammen der Libretti vertonte, die so
gut wie nie fr ihn geschrieben waren, in einer
Sprache, die weder die seine noch die seiner
Zuhrer war (auch wenn sie Italienisch
wahrscheinlich besser verstanden als das
britische Gegenwartspublikum und
zweisprachige Texthefte hatten, um dem
Geschehen zu folgen). Aber Hndels Isolation
verschaffte ihm auch bestimmte Vorteile. Er
konnte Libretti viel leichter nach seinem
Gutdnken ndern und die oft langatmige
uerung schner Gefhle in den Rezitativem
beschneiden, um Platz fr mehr und lngere
Arien zu schaffen. Entgegen der derzeit
herrschenden irrigen Auffassung beruht
nmlich die unverzichtbare Kontinuitt der
Handlung auf der Abfolge der Arien, nicht der
Rezitativen. Hndel hat offenbar viel mehr
29
Struktur und Form zusammenkommen mssen
dies steht im Zentrum von Hndels
Opernschaffen, das zugleich hchst analytisch
und von auergewhnlicher Dichte und
Leidenschaft ist.
Die wiederkehrenden Themen der Opera
seria knnen uns heute oft irrelevant
erscheinen. Ob es sich um einen klassischen
Mythos handelt, um mittelalterliche
Geschichte oder ein episches Mrchen:
Grundstzlich geht es darum, was die Groen
und Mchtigen tun, die Knige, Frsten und
Herzge, welche die neue Kunst gefrdert und
dazu genutzt hatten, hfische Anlsse festlich
zu begehen. Hinter einem typischen Hndel-
Libretto sind die moralischen und
gesellschaftlichen Interessen der lteren
franzsischen Dramatiker Corneille und
Racine auszumachen (Corneille zeigt den
Einzelnen als Sieger ber die Versuchungen,
denen er ausgesetzt ist, Racine das Versagen der
Willenskraft und den Verfall des Individuums).
Wie sollen sich wahrhaft groe Frsten
verhalten? Wie sollen sie ihre absolute Macht
einsetzen, wenn ffentliche Pflicht und private
Liebe in Konflikt geraten? Wie sollen sie eine
Gemahlin whlen? Wie sollen Sie sich
verhalten, damit ihre gloire ihr guter Name,
ihr Ansehen, ihre Ehre auch in Zukunft die
Bewunderung und den Gehorsam ihrer
Einflu auf sein Ensemble und seine Darsteller
ausgebt, als es in der typischen italienischen
Operntruppe an einem italienschen oder
sddeutschen Frstenhof blich war: Die Royal
Academy of Music stand zwar unter der
Schirmherrschaft des Hofes, war jedoch auf
typisch britische Art als Aktiengesellschaft
gegrndet worden. Hndel mu von den
Kennern unter seinen adligen Gnnern im
augusteischen London, z.B. von Mnnern wie
dem Earl of Burlington, wertvolle knstlerische
Anregungen bezogen haben. Wenn wir die oft
von Eigeninteresse geprgten Angriffe von
Autoren wie Addison und Steele auf die
italienische Oper oder Berichte ber die
Frivolitt des Londoner Publikums lesen,
vergessen wir allzu leicht, da Hndels
dramatisches Empfinden feiner und geschrfter
war als das ihre, da er nicht mit den Werken
englischer Tragdiendichter wie Thomas Otway
oder Nicholas Rowe grogeworden war und
da viele Aussagen von Belang ber die sthetik
von Malerei und Architektur, die er bei Autoren
wie Shaftesbury gelesen haben mochte, fr die
uerst bildhafte Arien-Oper von hoher
Relevanz waren. Die Wahl des signifikanten
Moments, dem exakten Punkt im narrativen
Ablauf oder der emotionalen Krise, auf die sich
die Malerei ebenso wie die Arie konzentrieren
mu, zu dessen Erhellung Gestik, Nuancierung,
Hndel: Julius Caesar
30 31
Untertanen und ihrer eigenen Familien
rechtfertigt? Das waren in einem Zeitalter des
unumschrnkten Absolutismus, in dem Heirat
und Erbschaft zu dynastischen Konflikten wie
dem spanischen Erbfolgekrieg fhrend konnte,
durchaus wichtige Fragestellungen. Die
franzsische Revolution und das Aufkommen
der brgerlich konstitutionellen Monarchie
raubten natrlich der Opera seria in dieser
Hinsicht weitgehend ihre offenkundige,
aktuelle Relevanz.
Dennoch griffen Corneille und Racine ber
ihre unmittelbare Thematik hinaus auf
universelle Wahrheiten zu, die sich in zeitlosen
Versen und eindrucksvollen dramatischen
Portrts niederschlugen, so da ihre
Schauspiele, die ber ihre zeitlich und rtlich
begrenzten Stoffe hinaus von Bedeutung sind,
bis heute berlebt haben. Das gleiche gilt fr
Hndels Musikdramen. Die einzelnen Arien
sind natrlich gar nicht erst in Vergessenheit
geraten, und viele wurden als Konzertstcke
gesungen, seit Walsh oder Cluer sie
ursprnglich herausgebracht haben. Deshalb
und in Anbetracht der Tatsache, da die
Opern aus Solo-Arien und sonst kaum etwas
bestehen, mutet es ein wenig seltsam an, da
wir so lange darauf warten muten, zum
rechten Verstndnis der Prinzipien zu
gelangen, nach denen Hndel vorgegangen ist,
als er sie einsetzte, um Figuren zu portrtieren,
und sie zu sinnvoll gruppierten Sequenzen
ordnete, um eine Szene, einen Akt, eine ganze
Oper herzustellen.
Die Methode hnelt der von Hogarth.
Dessen bekannte Serien von lgemlden, die
wie The Rakes Progress schon bald in groer
Zahl als Drucke verkauft wurden, brauchten
keine Erklrung, kein Rezitativ. Hogarth
whlt zur Darstellung diverse signifikante
Momente in der Geschichte des Lebemanns
oder der Prostituierten und umgibt diese
Zentralfigur mit einer Flle von Einzelheiten,
die allesamt fr den Kernpunkt der Debatte
relevant sind Rakewell, wie er in einem
Bordell Liebe erkauft, Rakewell, wie er
gesellschaftliche Anerkennung erkauft. Diese
Einzelheiten sind so aufschlureich, da wir
selbst, wenn wir sie ins Auge fassen, das
Dargestellte in unseren Kpfen ber die
rumlichen und zeitlichen Grenzen des Bildes
hinaus verallgemeinern. Die Wandtfelung
zwischen den einzelnen Gemlden wird,
whrend wir von einem zum nchsten
weitergehen, mit den Implikationen der
Geschichte aufgeladen. Eine hnliche Parallele
liee sich im Bereich des Romans zu Samuel
Richardsons Methode der analytischen
Erzhlung mittels einer Aneinandereihung
einzelner Briefe ziehen.
Wenn wir Hndels Darstellung der
Cleopatra mit den Mitteln der Arie betrachten
und dabei vielleicht auch an Shakespeares
Cleopatra denken, gewinnen wir eine bessere
Vorstellung von der dokumentarisch bislang
kaum belegten sthetik und Dramaturgie,
die Hndels Vorgehen bestimmte: Er hat
mit einer analytischen Reihe von acht
Soloarien, zwei begleiteten Rezitativen und
einem Duett ihr Portrt geschaffen, und jede
Nummer ist sorgfltig mit Rcksicht auf
Kontrast und Kontinuitt in die grere
Reihe der insgesamt rund vierzig Nummern
eingeordnet, die fast ausschlielich Soloarien
sind.
Cleopatras erste Arie Yet why despair? ist
ein Allegro in E-Dur und im Vierertakt,
unisono begleitet von smtlichen Violinen mit
Untersttzung der Bratschen und tiefen
Streicher. Die Bratschen spielen nur whrend
der Orchestertutti, und im Mittelteil
verstummen auch die Violinen. Die
musikalischen Hauptthemen der Arie die
ungewhnlicherweise nicht aus der Gesangs-
linie abgeleitet sind veranschaulichen, da sie
sich ber ihren verhaten Bruder Ptolemy
lustig macht und ihn als weibischen Knaben
verhhnt, der zum Herrschen untauglich ist.
Dies wird mit Hilfe von wiederholten Noten,
nachdrcklichen Viertelnoten mit Mordenten
oder staccato gespielten Achteln erreicht, die
kurzen, gehssigen Phrasen und lachenden
Lufen Platz machen. Selbst die
erwartungsgemen Fiorituren von Begriffen
wie heart (Herz) oder console (trsten)
nehmen einen spttischen Tonfall an. Die
musikalische Dramatik der Arie stagniert trotz
der wiederholten Textteile berhaupt nicht,
sondern ist von einem stetigen Auf und Ab
unterschiedlicher Gefhlsnuancen
gekennzeichnet; und das trifft auf alle Arien
von Hndel zu.
Cleopatras nchste Arie (die hier ausgelassen
wurde) ist wie viele weitere in einer Tonart mit
Erhhungszeichen und leuchtendem Klang
gesetzt, nmlich in A-Dur; es handelt sich um
ein Allegro im 3/8-Takt fr die gleiche
Streicherbesetzung, nur da Hndel der
Gesangslinie eine tiefere Note gibt, indem er
sie mit einer Oboe sumt. Als Hofdame
verkleidet ist es Cleopatra gelungen, Caesars
Herz zu gewinnen, und ihre Arie zeigt, wie sie
sich unverhohlen an der Macht ergtzt, die
ihre Schnheit auf den Bezwinger der Welt
ausbt. Sie ist Freudentanz und naive
Selbstdarstellung zugleich; ihre wachen
Rhythmen und brillanten Sechzehntelketten
schlagen von forte in piano um und wieder
zurck, und ein intimerer Mittelteil wird nur
von Violinen und Ba begleitet. Die dritte Arie
32
ist schlichter und leiser, ein Allegro ma non
troppo in B-Dur und im 6/8-Takt. Cleopatra
hat Sextus und Cornelia angeworben, ihr im
Kampf gegen Ptolemy beizustehen, und was als
bloe Verstimmung, fast als Spiel begonnen
hatte, hat sich zur festen Hoffnung
ausgewachsen, da sie gypten von ihrem
tyrannischen Bruder befreien und sowohl den
Thron als auch Caesars immerwhrende Liebe
erringen kann. Die hohen Violinen erzhlen
mal unisono, mal in einlullenden Terzen vom
fernen Stern der Hoffnung und vom sanften
Schauer der Wonne und Liebe, die reife
Erfllung findet.
Die erste Arie im II. Akt, kunstvoll begleitet
von den versammelten Musen, ist ein
verlockendes Liebeslied, das Caesar gleichzeitig
anbetet und betrt. Diesmal geht es um ein
Largo in F-Dur im 3/4-Takt. Cleopatra ist auf
der Bhne von neun Soloinstrumenten
umgeben (einschlielich Theorbe und Harfe);
im Orchestergraben werfen die gedmpften
vierstimmigen Streicher Caesars bewundernde
Seufzer als Echo zurck, um dann im Mittelteil
zu schweigen. Whrend sie die nchste Arie
singt, erwartet sie ihn in ihren Gemchern und
wendet sich betend an Venus, ihr alle Reize der
Liebe zu schenken. Diese Nummer ist als
Allegro in A-Dur im 3/8-Takt fr Unisono-
Violinen und Ba angelegt, die sich auf eine
Solovioline reduzieren, sobald die
Gesangsstimme einsetzt, und im Mittelteil auf
das Continuo allein. Die Musik deutet ein
charmantes Gebet an die Mutter der Liebe an
und illustriert, welche auerordentlichen Reize
Cleopatra zu erlangen trachtet: Caesar wei
nicht, wer sie ist, und sie will erreichen, da er
um ihre Hand anhlt, obwohl sie scheinbar
nur eine gewhnliche Frau ist. Unmittelbar vor
der nchsten Arie ist Caesar davongeeilt, um
sich eines hinterhltigen berraschungsangriffs
durch Ptolemys Soldaten zu erwehren.
Cleopatra bleibt in Ungewiheit und
Aufregung zurck, erkennt nunmehr, wie tief
ihre Liebe zu Caesar ist, und betet beklommen
um seine Sicherheit: Wenn er stirbt, will sie es
ihm gleichtun. Abwrts gerichtete Phrasen im
Ba und schleppende Vorhalte der Fagotte
deuten an, da sie sich in Demut vor den
Gttern beugt; pulsierende Achtel der
mittleren Streicher untersttzen kurze,
gebrochene Gesten der ersten Violinen, die
mal verzweifelnd, mal flehentlich klingen,
whrend Cleopatra in ihren Bitten um den
Beistand der Gtter selbst eine weitgehend
unabhngige thematische Linie verfolgt. Dieses
Stck ist ein Largo in fis-Moll im Vierertakt,
kontrapunktisch umgesetzt und im Tonfall
sehr an Bach erinnernd.
Im III. Akt wird Caesar fr tot gehalten;
33
Cleopatras abschlieendes Solo, nachdem
Caesar gesiegt und Ptolemy eine vernichtende
Niederlage erlebt hat, ist ein Musterbeispiel
einer Simile-Arie ber das abgedroschene
Bild des von Strmen gepeitschten Schiffs, das
sicher im Hafen anlangt. Es handelt sich um
ein Allegro im Vierertakt in Cleopatras
Grundtonart E-Dur. Aber Hndels Simile-
Arien sind immer zugleich Charakterportrts,
und im vorliegenden Fall wird die stille, helle
Freude der knftigen Knigin dargestellt, die
beim Gedanken an vergangene Gefahren und
bevorstehende Wonnen in heftigen Jubel
umschlgt. Die Violinen spielen mal unisono
mit der Gesangsstimme, mal vertiefen sie divisi
mit knappen wiederholten Achteln deren
ruhige Heiterkeit. Das letzte, was wir von
Cleopatra zu hren bekommen, ist ein
goldenes Duett mit Caesar, in dem die
Liebenden einander das Eheversprechen geben;
dieses Duett steht in G-Dur und ist ein
bedchtiges Allegro im 12/8-Takt fr geteilte
Violinen, Oboen und Ba, dessen Besetzung
sich im Mittelteil auf Continuo allein
reduziert. Auerdem singen die Liebenden in
der abschlieenden Ensemble-Bourre ein
Minore-Trio.
Wir sehen und hren Hndels Heldin (wie
die von Shakespeare) in einer unvergleich-
lichen Vielzahl von Stimmungen, deren jede in
Cleopatras Heer ist besiegt, und sie rechnet
damit, hingerichtet zu werden. Wir kehren zu
E-Dur und einem langsamen 3/8-Takt zurck,
um die tiefe Gram von Flow, my tears
darzustellen, einer zu Recht berhmten Arie,
die sich im Mittelteil einer anderen Emotion,
Gefge und Tempo zuwendet. Der erste Teil
lt eine Flte (die bis dahin mit Cornelia, der
trauernden Witwe, assoziiert wurde) die Linie
der ersten Violinen versilbern, die nur von den
zweiten Violinen und Bainstrumenten
gesttzt wird. Cleopatras kummervolle
Kantilene findet stndigen Widerhall in einer
klangvollen Figur voller Gram und Bedauern,
zwei ansteigenden Tnen, von denen der
zweite wiederholt wird. Diese Figur geht aus
Cleopatras anfnglichen Intervallsprngen (es
gibt kein einleitendes Ritornell) von der Terz
zur Quarte, Quinte und schlielich Oktave
hervor. Der Mittelteil, ein Allegro im
Vierertakt, in dem sie wtend schwrt, als
Gespenst zurckzukehren und Ptolemy
heimzusuchen, ersetzt die Flte durch ein
Solocello, das zusammen mit den Lufen der
Gesangslinie die unerbittliche Verfolgung des
Schurken ber das Grab hinaus andeutet. Das
verleiht der Wiederkehr des ersten Abschnitts
(eindringlicher gemacht durch zustzliche
Verzierungen, wie es sich fr alle Dakapo-
Reprisen gehrt) noch mehr ironische Schrfe.
34 34
einem herrlich prgnanten und treffenden
Portrt grndlich ausgelotet wird. Als Rahmen
dienen Orchesterritornelle von immer wieder
anderer Struktur (die Kunst besteht dabei
weniger im spektakulren Einsatz von
Obligatoinstrumenten als in der Fhrung der
Streicher). Die Portrts kontrastieren
miteinander und natrlich noch mehr mit den
entsprechend zusammengestellten Arien
anderer Figuren, zwischen die sie eingebettet
sind und zwar mit einer Kunstfertigkeit, die
vollauf mit Racines enchanement de scnes, der
Verkettung einer Szenenfolge, vergleichbar ist.
Die Arien-Oper hat sich als Quintessenz der
wesentlichen Ausdrucks- und Strukturelemente
der Barockmusik vollkommen natrlich
entwickelt und sich einer analytischen
Darstellungsmethode bedient, wie sie auch in
anderen Kunstformen der damaligen Zeit
vorkommt. Form und Inhalt sind eins, und es
braucht uns nicht zu kmmern, da es keine
konzertanten Finalstze und fast keine
Ensemblenummern gibt. Selbst die
Psychologie der vielgeschmhten Abgangsarie
hat in Wahrheit durchaus ihren Sinn: Die
Oper wird als Serie wogenartiger Crescendos der
dramatischen Erregung empfunden, die jeweils
fr eine der Figuren in einer Krise enden. Die
betreffende Figur singt eine Arie, und dann
gibt es erst einmal nichts mehr zu sagen, bis
eine neue Folge von Ereignissen sie in eine
neue Lage gebracht hat, die eine neue Arie
notwendig macht. (In der franzsischen Oper
der damaligen Zeit leiten Arien oft einen Akt
ein, so da die anschlieende Handlung
hinterherhinkt; das ist jedoch in der Praxis
psychologisch meist weniger zufriedenstellend.)
Historiker und Kritiker haben es sich in den
vergangenen zwei Jahrhunderten allzu leicht
gemacht, indem sie Glucks Kritik an der Mitte
des achtzehnten Jahrhunderts gngigen Opera
seria so nachbeteten, als sei sie auf die Opern
von Alessandro Scarlatti und Hndel gemnzt
gewesen. Die aber hatte Gluck vermutlich nie
zu hren bekommen und die, die ihn zitieren,
ganz bestimmt nicht. Es mag durchaus sein,
da die Launen und die Eitelkeit der Snger
whrend der mageren 1740er und 1750er
Jahre zunahmen; aber die Virtuositt, die
Hndels Opern verlangen, ist niemals hohl.
Er hat fr die groartigsten Snger der Welt
komponiert, doch wre ihre vorzgliche
Gesangstechnik bedeutungslos gewesen ohne
das dramatische und musikalische Verstndnis
und Stilgefhl, die allein uns Heutigen die
unmglichen Konventionen der Opera seria
nicht nur mglich, sondern lebendig und
realisierbar erscheinen lassen.
Brian Trowell
35
des Schluduetts sowie Ptolemys Arie im
II. Akt.
Die meisten Arien und Duette in Julius
Caesar sind in Dakapoform (ABA) angelegt,
und diese Form ist ein inhrenter Bestandteil
des Hndelschen Stils der Opernkomposition.
Es erschien mir darum besser, ganze Arien zu
streichen, als Hndels dreiteiliges Schema zu
verderben. Caesar, Cleopatra und Cornelia
haben auf diese Weise je eine Arie verloren.
Sextus hat drei eingebt, die anderen je zwei.
Eine ganze Szene am Ende des II. Akts haben
wir ausgelassen, und die Rezitative, die die
Handlung vorantreiben, wurden gekrzt.
All jene, die mit der Auswahl der Musik fr
diese Inszenierung zu tun hatten, erhoffen sich,
da Hndels dramatische Kontraste, seine
Abfolge der Tonarten (trotz diverser
Transpositionen einzelnen Ensemble-
mitgliedern zuliebe) und der allgemeine Flu
dieses groen Meisterwerks nicht allzu sehr
beeintrchtigt werden durch die Krzungen,
die anzubringen wir aus den oben genannten
Grnden fr ntig befunden haben. Die
Verzierung der Reprisen und Kadenzen ist das
Werk mehrerer Beteiligter darunter auch der
Snger selbst, wie es zu Hndels Zeit blich
war. Die Verzierungen sind so abgefat, da sie
zu den Talenten der Snger der ENO-
Produktion und den Figuren passen, die sie
Eine Anmerkung zur Vorlage
Julius Caesar (Giulio Cesare in Egitto) ist nicht
nur eine von Hndels bekanntesten Opern,
sondern auch eine seiner lngsten. Als die
English National Opera (ENO) sie 1979 in
englischer Sprache herausbrachte, wurden eine
Reihe von Krzungen vorgenommen, um sie
auf eine auch anderen als Festspiel-
bedingungen angemessene Dauer zu bringen.
Als man uns aufforderte, mit dieser
Inszenierung ins Aufnahmestudio zu gehen,
berlegten wir, ob wir das Werk vollstndig
aufzeichnen sollten, da nicht die
Notwendigkeit bestand, sich an die zeitlichen
Beschrnkungen zu halten, die eine
Darbietung auf der Bhne auferlegt. Das
jedoch wre mit derart umfangreichen
nderungen unserer Fassung verbunden
gewesen, da wir es nicht mehr mit der
ENO-Produktion zu tun gehabt htten, die so
viele Opernliebhaber gesehen und schtzen
gelernt haben. Wir hatten bei der
Entscheidung, welche Arien gestrichen werden
sollten, um eine zusammenhngende, flssige
Version des umfnglichen Werks zu erstellen,
ungeheure Vorsicht walten lassen. Darum
beschlossen wir, sie zu lassen, wie sie war, und
nur zwei Passagen wiederaufzunehmen, die in
einem spten Probenstadium gestrichen
worden waren: den B-Teil und das Dakapo
36
verkrpern. Sie sind kein Versuch einer
Rekonstruktion der Art und Weise, wie ein
Senesino oder eine Cuzzoni die betreffenden
Arien verziert htten.
Hndel selbst pate seine Musik
verschiedenen Sngern an und komponierte
sogar Teile von Giulio Cesare in Egitto neu, als
die Rolle des Sextus von einer Sopranistin auf
einen Tenor berging. Man fragt sich, was er
getan htte, wenn er mit dem brillanten hohen
Register von Dame Janet Baker konfrontiert
gewesen wre, nachdem er die Rolle des Caesar
ursprnglich fr Senesino komponiert hatte,
einen Kastraten mit tiefer Stimmlage und einem
Stimmumfang von wenig mehr als einer
Oktave. Htte er diese herrlich charakterisierten
und abwechslungsreichen Arien neu komponiert
oder htte er sie auf den anderen Sngertypus
abgestimmt? Er ist leider nicht zugegen, um uns
zu beraten oder Julius Caesar auf unsere Zwecke
abzustimmen, daher muten wir den Sprung
wagen und recht umfassende nderungen der
Lage und der Tonarten von Caesars Arien
vornehmen, insbesondere an den Dakapos.
Die Orchesterstimmen der Partitur wurden
entsprechend bearbeitet, damit die
Angehrigen des ENO-Orchesters auf ihren
normalen modernen Instrumenten die
Rhythmen und den klanglichen Ausdruck
eines Orchesters aus dem 18. Jahrhundert
nachvollziehen knnen. Ein Barockcello wird
zusammen mit dem Cembalo eingesetzt, um
die Rezitative zu begleiten, und je eine Viola da
gamba und Theorbe fr Cleopatras
verfhrerische Bhnenmusik im
II. Akt. Ansonsten besteht das Orchester
ausschlielich aus modernen Instrumenten,
zum Beispiel Querflten anstelle von
Blockflten (die sich nur mit anderen
Barockinstrumenten harmonisch verbinden).
Der Erffnungs- und Schluchor sowie ein
kurzer aufrhrerischer Chor hinter den
Kulissen wurden ursprnglich von allen
verfgbaren Solisten gesungen (und das,
obwohl am Ende zwei der Figuren offiziell tot
sind!). Das geht soweit, da in der Original-
partitur ihre Namen (Durastanti, Robinson,
Berenstadt usw.) statt der Stimmen aufgefhrt
sind. Wir dagegen fanden es angemessener,
dieses sprliche Ensemble durch einen
richtigen, wenn auch kleinen Chor zu ersetzen.
Inhaltsangabe
Der Schauplatz ist gypten, in und um
Alexandria.
I. Akt
Caesar wird vom gyptischen Volk begrt.
37
Urne. Cleopatra erscheint, als ihre Dienerin
Lydia verkleidet. Sie bittet Caesar um Beistand,
um das Unrecht wiedergutzumachen, das
Cleopatra von ihrem Bruder angetan wurde.
Caesar ist berwltigt von ihrer Schnheit und
stimmt bereitwillig zu. Als sie sich soeben
zurckziehen will, kommt Cornelia hinzu,
die um ihren Gemahl trauert. Als Cleopatra
erfhrt, da Cornelia und Sextus Ptolemy
tten wollen, bietet sie immer noch
verkleidet ihre Hilfe an. Sie rechnet mit
Erfolg und schlgt vor, da ihr getreuer
Berater Nirenus ihnen Zugang zum Palast
verschaffen solle.
Ptolemy bereitet Caesar zwar einen
prunkvollen Empfang, aber die zwei trauen
einander nicht ber den Weg und Ptolemy
schmiedet Plne, Caesar noch am selben
Abend zu ermorden. Caesar durchschaut die
Tuschung. Cornelia und Sextus werden
hereingeleitet, und Sextus fordert Ptolemy zum
Zweikampf heraus. Daraufhin lt Ptolemy
ihn und seine Mutter verhaften. Er schickt
Cornelia in den Haremsgarten, um dort als
Sklavin zu arbeiten, und sperrt Sextus im
Palast ein. Achillas teilt Cornelia mit, da er
ihre Not lindern knne, wenn sie bereit wre,
ihn zu lieben, doch sie weist ihn verchtlich
zurck. Mutter und Sohn werden
auseinandergerissen.
Er erklrt sich auf Bitten von Pompeys
Gemahlin Cornelia und deren Sohn Sextus
bereit, Frieden zu schlieen. Achillas, Ptolemys
Feldherr, nhert sich und verkndet, da sein
Herr Caesar freundlich gesonnen sei. Zum
Beweis bringt einer seiner Gefolgsleute das
abgeschlagene Haupt Pompeys herein. Die
Rmer sind entsetzt, und Caesar brandmarkt
wtend Ptolemys Grausamkeit. Achillas
befiehlt er, seinen Herrn von seiner
bevorstehenden Ankunft zu unterrichten. In
ihrem Kummer versucht Cornelia, sich das
Leben zu nehmen, aber Sextus und Curio
halten sie davon ab. Sextus versichert ihr, da
er den Tod seines Vater rchen werde.
Cleopatra erfhrt von der Ermordung
Pompeys und beschliet, Caesar um
Untersttzung zu bitten und ihr Recht auf die
Alleinherrschaft in gypten durchzusetzen.
Ptolemy belauscht sie und verhhnt ihren
Anspruch; Cleopatra unterstellt ihm, da er
bei den Mdchen mehr Aussicht auf Erfolg
habe als damit, ein Knigreich zu regieren.
Achillas berichtet von Caesars Reaktion auf
Ptolemys Geschenk und gelobt unter der
Bedingung, da Cornelia ihm gehren soll,
Caesar zu vernichten. Ptolemy schwrt, sich
wegen der ihm angetanen Beleidigung an
Caesar zu rchen.
Caesar betrachtet nachdenklich Pompeys
39
beim Kathleen-Ferrier-Gesangswettbewerb, und
seither hat sie es als Knstlerin, die sich mit der
Interpretation von Liedern ebenso hervortut
wie in der Oper und auf dem Konzertpodium,
zu weltweiter Anerkennung gebracht. Zu ihren
denkwrdigen Auftritten zhlen Purcells Dido
1962 in Aldeburgh mit der English Opera
Group, die Titelrolle in Brittens The Rape of
Lucretia (1964 und 1970) und Kate in Owen
Wingrave (1971).
Fr die Royal Opera hat sie die Vitellia
(La clemenza di Tito) gesungen, und Glucks
Alceste, fr Glyndebourne Diana/Jupiter
(Cavallis La Calisto), und Penelope
(Monteverdis Il ritorno dUlisse in patria), fr
die Scottish Opera Dido (Berlioz Les troyens)
und fr die English National Opera ein
Repertoire, das von Monteverdi bis Massenets
Werther reicht und Donizettis Mary Stuart
sowie Marguerite in Berlioz The Damnation of
Faust einschliet. Ihr letztes Gastspiel bei der
Truppe erfolgte in einer Inszenierung von
Mary Stuart. Janet Baker hat zahlreiche
Auszeichnungen erhalten, darunter den
Hamburger Shakespeare-Preis (1971) und die
Ehrendoktorwrde der Universitten von
London, Birmingham und Oxford. Sie wurde
1970 zum Commander und 1976 zum Dame
of the British Empire erhoben. Zu ihren
Aufzeichnungen auf Tontrger gehren
entgegen. Die drei Rmer freuen sich, wieder
vereint zu sein, und beschlieen, Cornelia und
Cleopatra zu retten.
Cleopatra drngt ihre Dienerschaft zur
Flucht, ehe ihr Bruder sie niedermetzeln lt.
Sie hrt Waffengeklirr und macht sich bereit,
zu sterben, doch es ist Caesar, der mit dem
Schwert in der Hand hereinkommt, um sie zu
umarmen und zu befreien.
Die versammelten Legionen und das Volk
von Alexandria jubeln Caesar als Kaiser von
Rom zu. Sextus berichtet, wie er Ptolemy
gettet hat, und Cornelia berreicht Caesar die
Insignien des gyptischen Throns. Caesar
wendet sich Cleopatra zu und krnt sie zur
Knigin von gypten, woraufhin sie einander
inmitten des allgemeinen Frohlockens ihre
ewige Liebe versichern.
bersetzung: Anne Steeb/Bernd Mller
Dame Janet Baker ist zusammen mit den
namhaftesten Dirigenten und Orchestern der
Welt aufgetreten und hat mit allen bedeutenden
Operntruppen Aufzeichnungen auf Tontrger
vorgenommen. Sie wurde in der englischen
Grafschaft Yorkshire geboren und erst von
Helene Isepp, dann von Meriel St. Clair
ausgebildet. 1956 gewann sie den zweiten Preis
38
II. Akt
Cleopatra hat, um Caesar zu berraschen, ein
Spektakel inszeniert. Sie erscheint ihm im
Garten des Palastes als Tugendgttin, die von
den neun Musen umgeben auf dem Parna
thront, und singt ihre bekannte Arie
Lamenting, complaining of Caesars
disdaining. Caesar ist von ihr bezaubert und
folgt Nirenus in ihre Gemcher.
Cornelia denkt traurig ber ihre elende Lage
nach, lt sich aber durch nichts berreden,
Achillas Annherungsversuche hinzunehmen.
Sie bringt auch Ptolemy gegen sich auf mit
ihrer Weigerung, seiner Liebeserklrung Gehr
zu schenken. In ihrer Verzweiflung plant sie,
sich selbst den Tigern vorzuwerfen, die das
Serail bewachen. Da erscheint auf einmal
Sextus, der aus der Gefangenschaft
entkommen ist, und seine Entschlossenheit, sie
zu befreien, gibt ihr neuen Mut. Sextus
schwrt, sich an Ptolemy zu rchen.
Cleopatra wartet sehnschtig auf Caesar. Als
er eintritt, gibt sie vor, zu schlafen, und hrt
mit an, wie er von seiner Liebe zu ihr spricht.
Als von Heirat die Rede ist, wacht sie auf. Er
ist betroffen, und seine scheinbare Ablehnung
bestrzt sie. Da unterbricht Curio sie mit der
Nachricht, da Ptolemys Mnner den Palast
durchsuchen, um Caesar zu tten. Cleopatra
erstaunt die Anwesenden damit, da sie sich zu
erkennen gibt, aber nicht einmal sie kann die
Hscher ihres Bruders aufhalten. Caesar
beteuert seine Tapferkeit und eilt seinen
Feinden entgegen. Cleopatra lauscht dem
Kampf und betet um seine Sicherheit.
III. Akt
Caesar ist im Gefecht berwltigt worden, und
man nimmt flschlich an, da er im Meer
ertrunken sei. Cleopatra hat Ptolemy den
Kampf angesagt, ist jedoch besiegt und
gefangengenommen worden. Ptolemy schmht
ihr unnatrliches Benehmen und legt sie in
Ketten. Verzweifelt sinnt Cleopatra mit dem
bekannten Klagelied Flow, my tears ber ihr
unvermutetes Migeschick nach.
Caesar erinnert sich seiner Niederlage und
denkt an Cleopatra. Curio und Sextus nhern
sich, aber noch ehe sie seiner ansichtig werden,
finden sie Achillas, der tdlich verletzt ist. Er
gesteht sterbend den Mord an Pompey und das
versuchte Attentat auf Caesar. Auerdem
vertraut er ihnen an, er sei zum Verrter
geworden, als Ptolemy sich geweigert habe,
ihm Cornelia zu berlassen, seinen
versprochenen Lohn. Dann gibt er ihnen einen
Ring, der ihnen Befehlsgewalt ber seine
Soldaten verleiht und es ihnen ermglichen
wird, in den Palast einzudringen und Ptolemy
zu tten. Caesar tritt vor und nimmt den Ring
Della Jones, eine der fhrenden britischen
Mezzosopranistinnen, wurde in Neath geboren
und studierte am Royal College of Music, wo
sie mit zahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnet wurde,
darunter auch das Kathleen Ferrier Memorial
Scholarship. Ihr breitgefchertes Repertoire
reicht von der frhen bis zur zeitgenssischen
Musik. Sie ist an allen groen britischen
Operhusern aufgetreten; auswrtige
Engagements haben sie in die USA, nach
Ruland, Japan, Kanada und durch ganz
Europa gefhrt. Zu ihrem Opernrepertoire
zhlen die Titelrollen in Ariodante, La
Cenerentola und Carmen, Rosina, Herodias
(Salome), Baba the Turk (The Rakes Progress),
Marcellina (Die Hochzeit des Figaro), die Wirtin
(Boris Godunov) sowie Aunt Hermance in
Gavin Bryars Doctor Oxs Experiment.
Della Jones ist zudem regelmig im
In- und Ausland in Radio und Fernsehen zu
hren. Ihre zahlreichen Aufnahmen umfassen
Alcina, Lincoronazione di Poppea, Dido
und Aeneas, La clemenza di Tito, Korngolds
Die Kathrin sowie The Barber of Seville (fr
Valerie Masterson wurde in Birkenhead
geboren und studierte in London und
Mailand. Nach einer Spielzeit in Salzburg
wurde sie Erste Sopranistin des DOyly
Carte Opernensembles. Sie ist an allen
groen Opernhusern Grobritanniens
aufgetreten; ihre zahlreichen
Auslandsverpflichtungen umfassen
Engagements in Aix-en-Provence, Nancy,
Montpelier, an der Pariser Oper, in Toulouse,
Bordeaux, Genf, Rouen, Prag, Dublin,
Mnchen, Marseilles, an der Mailnder Piccola
Scala, in Barcelona, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Santiago, San Francisco, New York und
Houston.
Ihr breitgefchertes Repertoire umfat
die Titelrollen in La traviata, Manon, Louise,
Mireille, Die lustige Witwe und Semele,
Madame Lidoine (Dialogues des carmlites),
Micala, Susanna und Grfin Almaviva, Sophie
und die Marschallin, Mim, Marguerite
(Faust), Antonia (Hoffmanns Erzhlungen) und
The King Goes Forth to France mit der Royal
Opera. Valerie Masterson ist regelmig im
Radio und im Fernsehen zu hren. Ihre
Einspielungen umfassen Elisabetta, Regina
dInghilterra, Das Rheingold, Gtterdmmerung,
verschiedene Operetten von Gilbert und
Sullivan sowie La traviata.
James Bowman ist seit nahezu dreiig Jahren
einer der weltweit fhrenden Countertenre.
Seine Ttigkeit umfat Oper, Oratorium,
zeitgenssische Musik und Solo-Recitals.
41 40
Hndels Ariodante, Donizettis Mary Stuart,
Glucks Orfeo ed Euridice, Mahlers Das Lied von
der Erde und zahlreiche Recitalprogramme.
Christopher Booth-Jones wurde in Somerset
geboren und studierte an der Royal Academy
of Music. Seine Opernkarriere begann er mit
einer Tournee der Welsh National Opera for
All; hieran schlossen sich Engagements an der
Welsh National Opera, der Glyndebourne
Festival und der Glyndebourne Touring Opera,
der Kent Opera sowie dem English Music
Theatre an. Zu seinen Rollen an der English
National Opera zhlen Papageno, Dr. Falke,
Schaunard, Silvio, Pantaloon (The Love for
Three Oranges), Elviro (Xerxes), Graf Almaviva
(The Marriage of Figaro) und Giorgio
Germont. Auerdem ist er an der Opera North
und der Royal Opera aufgetreten und ist
regelmig auf BBC Radio 2, 3 und 4 sowie in
Radio France und dem Belgischen Rundfunk
zu hren. Zu seinen CD-Aufnahmen zhlen
Carmen, Billy Budd, Sondheims Pacific
Overtures und Tosca (fr Chandos/Peter
Moores Foundation).
Sarah Walker begann ihre musikalische
Ausbildung mit einem Violinstudium am
Royal College of Music; spter studierte
sie Gesang bei Vera Rosza, mit der sie ein
breitgefchertes Repertoire erarbeitete,
das sich von Bach und Monteverdi bis zu
Werken des 20. Jahrhunderts von
Komponisten wie Berio, Boulez, Cage,
Henze, Ligeti, Copland und Ives erstreckt.
Sie ist gefragter Gast auf Konzertpodien
weltweit und hat mit Ozawa, Davis,
Mackerras, Solti, Norrington, Boulez,
Roschdestwenski, Mazur, Harnoncourt und
Rattle zusammengearbeitet.
Sarah Walker ist eng mit der Royal Opera
verbunden, an der sie unter anderem Baba the
Turk (The Rakes Progress), Charlotte
(Werther), Mrs. Sedley (Peter Grimes) und
Rollen in Sallinens The King Goes Forth to
France, Maxwell Daviess Taverner und
Hndels Samson gesungen hat. Zu ihren
zahlreichen Rollen an der English National
Opera zhlen Mary Stuart, Charlotte, die
Grfin (The Queen of Spades), die Titelrolle in
Brittens Gloriana sowie Katisha (The Mikado).
Sarah Walker ist auerdem in Genf, San
Francisco und Chicago, an der Metropolitan
Opera in New York und in Glyndebourne
aufgetreten und hat sich auch als
Konzertsngerin einen Namen gemacht. Ihre
Aufnahmen umfassen Peter Grimes, Romo et
Juliette, Mendelssohns Sommernachtstraum, La
traviata und Martha (Gounods Faust, fr
Oper und auf dem Aldeburgh Festival
bernommen.
Als Grndungsmitglied des Hilliard
Ensembles nimmt David James mit dieser
Gruppe jhrlich etwa 100 Konzertengagements
wahr, wobei ihr Repertoire die Musik des
Mittelalters und der Renaissance, aber auch
zeitgenssische Werke umfat. In seinen
weltweiten Soloauftritten spezialisiert sich
David James auf Musik des Barock und der
Gegenwart. Seine Einspielungen umfassen
Bachs Johannes- und Matthus-Passion,
Hndels Messias und Prts Passio.
Sir Charles Mackerras wurde 1925 als Kind
australischer Eltern in den USA geboren und
studierte in Sydney und Prag. Sein Debt
als Operndirigent feierte er in Sadlers Wells,
wo er wesentlichen Anteil an der Produktion
der sensationellen britischen Erstauffhrung
von Janceks Kta Kabanov hatte, die dazu
fhrte, da Janceks Werke ihren Weg ins
britische Standardrepertoire fanden. Er war
Chefdirigent an der Hamburger Oper
(196669) und Musikdirektor an der Oper
von Sadlers Wells, der nachmaligen English
National Opera (197077) sowie der Welsh
National Opera (198792), wo unter anderem
seine bemerkenswerten Jancek-
Inszenierungen groe Beachtung fanden. Die
Inszenierung und Einspielung von Osud
wurden von der Peter Moores Foundation
gefrdert, die auch die Einspielung von
The Cunning Little Vixen untersttzte. Sir
Charles Mackerras ist Ehrendirigent des
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Emeritus-
Dirigent der Welsh National Opera, erster
Gastdirigent der San Francisco Opera und seit
der Spielzeit 1998/99 Musikdirektor des
Orchestra of St. Lukes in New York.
Sir Charles Mackerras hat sich intensiv mit
der Auffhrungspraxis des 18. und 19. Jahr-
hunderts befat, was seine musikalischen
Interpretationen wesentlich beeinflute. Seine
beeindruckende Diskographie umfat den
preisgekrnten Zyklus der Opern Janceks mit
den Wiener Philharmonikern, Brittens Gloriana
(ausgezeichnet mit dem Gramophone Award),
die Sinfonien von Beethoven, Brahms und
Mahler sowie Donizettis Mary Stuart und
Verdis La traviata mit der English National
Opera.
Sir Charles Mackerras wurde 1974 mit dem
CBE ausgezeichnet und 1979 fr seine
Verdienste um die Musik geadelt. Auerdem
erhielt er die Verdienstmedaille der
Tschechischen Republik und wurde zum
Mitglied des Order of Australia ernannt.
43
Bowman sang zunchst als Chorknabe an der
Kathedrale von Ely und studierte spter am
New College in Oxford, wo er ebenfalls
Chorsnger war. Sein Londoner Debt feierte
er 1967 auf Einladung von Benjamin Britten
anllich der Einweihung der neuen Queen
Elizabeth Konzerthalle. Er war schon bald
gleichermaen auf Opernbhne und
Konzertpodium gefragt und trat in Sadlers
Wells (A Midsummer Nights Dream) und
Glyndebourne (La Calisto) sowie an der
English National Opera (Semele) und der
Royal Opera (Taverner) auf. Im Ausland
sang er in Paris, an La Fenice in Venedig, an
der Mailnder Scala, in Aix-en-Provence, am
Sydney Opera House und in den USA.
James Bowman hat ber 150 Einspielungen
gemacht, darunter Brittens Death in Venice,
A Midsummer Nights Dream und Rejoice in the
Lamb, Orfeo ed Euridice und Monteverdis
Orfeo.
John Tomlinson wurde in Lancashire geboren
und absolvierte in Manchester seine
Ausbildung als Ingenieur, bevor er am Royal
Manchester of Music ein Stipendium erhielt.
Seit 1974 hatte er regelmig Engagements an
der English National Opera und seit 1976 an
der Royal Opera, auerdem ist er an der Opera
North, der Scottish Opera, der Glyndebourne
Festival und Touring Opera sowie der Kent
Opera aufgetreten. Zu seinen frhen Rollen
zhlen Figaro, Masetto, Hunding, Hagen,
Pimen und Knig Heinrich (Lohengrin).
Seit 1988 hat John Tomlinson jhrlich auf
dem Bayreuther Festival gesungen, wo er als
Wotan (Das Rheingold und Die Walkre),
der Wanderer (Siegfried ), Titurel und
Gurnemanz (Parzival ) und Knig Markus
(Tristan und Isolde) zu hren war. Zu seinen
weiteren Rollen zhlen Hans Sachs (Die
Meistersinger), der Landgraf (Tannhuser),
Hagen (Gtterdmmerung) und Baron Ochs
(Der Rosenkavalier). Seine Aufnahmen umfassen
den Ring-Zyklus, Verdis La forza del destino und
La traviata, sowie Highlights aus Mussorgskis
Boris Godunow und Strauss Rosenkavalier (fr
David James war Chorsnger am Magdalen
College in Oxford und sang spter im Chor
der Westminster Abbey. 1978 wurde ihm
der erste Preis des niederlndischen
s-Hertogenbosch-Wettbewerbs verliehen.
Seither verfolgt er eine internationale Karriere
als Solist und Ensemblesnger; unter anderem
hat er mit dem Ensemble The Sixteen
zusammengearbeitet sowie zahlreiche
groe Opernrollen an der English National
Opera, der Handel Opera, der Genfer
42
Haendel et lopra arias
Loperia seria opra srieux fut la cration
musicale la plus importante et la plus
prestigieuse de lre baroque. Les techniques,
les conventions et lesthtique de ce genre sont
la base mme de lpanouissement de
Haendel dans loratorio et de lextraordinaire
maestria de Bach dans les arias et
lornementation mlodique. Et pourtant ce
nest que rcemment que les thtres lyriques
ont commenc prendre lopera seria au
srieux, pour ce quil est. Le public va peu
peu se rendre compte que cest justement
lartificialit et lirralit du genre qui font sa
force: plus que tout autre moyen dexpression
artistique, lopra a besoin de ses conventions
une structure tablie, un modle convenu dont
on pourra largement sloigner. Mais de nos
jours, tout est permis et la musique lyrique est
coule comme du bton dans nimporte quelle
forme, nimporte quel moule. Bien des
compositeurs modernes, stant essays
lopra, vous avoueront lair piteux et en toute
honntet quils se sentent paralyss par
labsence dun idiome tabli, commun la
scne et au public. Dans un tel contexte, les
conventions rigides de la musique baroque
deviennent un atout certain.
Il est plutt paradoxal que les plus beaux
opere serie de lre baroque aient jailli de la
plume dun Saxon vivant Londres, mettant
en musique des livrets qui la plupart du temps
ne lui taient mme pas destins, dans une
langue qui ntait ni la sienne ni celle de son
public (un public qui malgr tout comprenait
sans doute mieux litalien quun public
britannique moderne et qui pouvait suivre
laction dans des livrets bilingues). Mais
Haendel tourna cet isolement son avantage.
Il put adapter les livrets sa guise, coupant les
rcitatifs aux nobles sentiments souvent
interminables au profit darias plus nombreuses
et plus longues contrairement aux ides
fausses que lon a, cest la succession des arias,
et non celle des rcitatifs, qui assure la
continuit essentielle de laction. De plus,
Haendel semble avoir exerc un plus grand
contrle sur sa troupe et ses interprtes que sil
stait agi dune troupe dopra italien typique
attache une cour dItalie ou dAllemagne du
sud: la Royal Academy of Music, bien que
place sous le patronage de la cour, tait une
45 44
socit par actions, suivant la coutume
britannique. Haendel bnficia galement du
soutien si prcieux sur le plan artistique des
plus clairs de ses mcnes noclassiques, ces
aristocrates londoniens comme le comte de
Burlington. On oublie trop facilement la
lecture des diatribes intresses contre lopra
italien dauteurs comme Addison et Steele, ou
des rcits de la frivolit du public londonien,
que lintuition dramatique de Haendel tait
bien plus subtile, bien plus aigu que la leur,
quil ne stait pas nourri de luvre dOtway
ou de Rowe, et que les essais plein de
sensibilit sur lesthtique en peinture et en
architecture quil avait lus chez des auteurs
comme Shaftesbury saccordaient trs bien avec
lopra arias, un genre extrmement
pictural. Le choix du moment-cl, ce point
prcis dans lhistoire, cette crise motionnelle
unique qui deviendra le sujet du tableau ou de
laria et que geste, ton, texture et dcor
mettront ensemble en valeur, ce choix est au
cur mme de la mthode de Haendel en
matire dopra, une mthode la fois
hautement analytique et extrmement
concentre et passionne.
Les grands thmes de lopera seria nous
paraissent souvent incongrus de nos jours. Quil
sagisse dun mythe classique, dune histoire
mdivale ou dune fantaisie pique, le sujet
traite essentiellement du comportement des
grands et des puissants, des rois, des princes et
des ducs qui, ayant encourag ce nouvel art,
sen servirent pour clbrer les vnements
importants de la cour. Derrire un livret
typique de Haendel, on retrouve les questions
morales et sociales qui avaient proccup
Corneille et Racine (le premier peignant le
triomphe de la volont humaine face aux
tentations, le second lchec de cette volont et
la destruction de lindividu). Comment les
grands princes doivent-ils se comporter?
Comment user du pouvoir absolu quand le
devoir public et les raisons du cur sont en
conflit? Comment choisir une pouse?
Comment doivent-ils se conduire pour que leur
gloire ou encore leur renom, leur rputation,
leur honneur justifie jamais ladmiration et
lobissance de leurs sujets et de leurs familles?
Ces questions taient primordiales une
poque dabsolutisme total, o mariage et
succession pouvaient entraner des conflits entre
dynasties comme la Guerre de succession
dEspagne. La Rvolution franaise et
lavnement de la monarchie constitutionnelle
bourgeoise dpouilla lopera seria de ce qui le
rendait si pertinent son poque.
Corneille et Racine russirent nanmoins
slever au-del de leurs sujets ponctuels pour
exprimer dans leur posie ternelle et leurs
Haendel: Julius Caesar
drames puissants des vrits universelles,
assurant leurs pices, plus grandes que les
thmes quelles abordent, limmortalit. Il en
est de mme des drames musicaux de Haendel.
Bien sr, les arias individuelles nont jamais t
oublies et beaucoup figurent rgulirement au
programme de concerts depuis leur publication
par Walsh ou Cluer. Etant donn la popularit
des arias et le fait que les opras consistent
avant tout darias pour soliste, nest-il pas
trange que nous ayons mis aussi longtemps
comprendre rellement les principes selon
lesquels Haendel sen servit pour peindre ses
personnages, les regroupant de faon
significative pour faire une scne, un acte, un
opra entier.
Sa mthode nous rappelle celle du peintre
Hogarth. Ses clbres huiles, reproduites dans
des sries de planches trs populaires, comme
La carrire du rou, nont pas besoin de
narration, de rcitatif . Il choisit de dcrire
certains moments-cls de lhistoire du rou ou
de la prostitue et arrange autour de son
personnage central tant de dtails rvlateurs,
ayant tous un rapport avec le sujet central
Rakewell achetant lamour dans une maison de
tolrance, Rakewell achetant ladmiration
sociale que cest nous-mmes, en examinant
la peinture par le menu, qui diffusons les
images dans notre esprit au-del des limites
spatiales et temporelles du tableau; comme
nous avanons dun tableau lautre, le lambris
qui les spare semble vibrer des retombes de
lhistoire. On pourrait tablir un parallle
semblable avec les procds de narration
analytique utiliss par Richardson dans ses
romans de forme pistolaire.
Examinons le portrait que Haendel nous
dresse de Cloptre dans ses arias, tout en
gardant lesprit la Cloptre de Shakespeare,
et nous comprendrons mieux lesthtique et la
dramaturgie qui rgissaient les mthodes de
Haendel et dont nous savons si peu. Il la
dpeint dans une srie analytique de huit arias
solos, deux rcitatifs avec accompagnement et
un duo, la position de chaque pice tant
soigneusement choisie pour crer un contraste
maximum ou assurer la meilleure continuit
dans cette uvre alignant une quarantaine de
morceaux, presque tous des arias pour soliste.
Sa premire aria, Yet why despair? est un
allegro en mi 4/4, accompagn par tous les
violons lunisson soutenus par les altos et les
basses. Les altos ne participent quaux tutti
orchestraux, et les violons eux aussi se taisent
dans la section centrale. Les principaux thmes
musicaux de laria qui, fait rare, ne dcoulent
pas de la ligne vocale nous la montrent en
train de tourmenter Ptolme, ce frre quelle
dteste, le traitant dun ton moqueur et
47 46
sarcastique de gamin effmin indigne de
gouverner. Leffet est obtenu par des notes
rptes, noires vigoureuses ornes de
mordants ou croches staccato, qui cdent le pas
de courtes phrases lourdes de sens et des
roulades riantes. Mme les fioritures vocales
traditionnelles sur des mots tels heart (cur)
et console se teintent dironie et le tournent
en ridicule. Malgr les notes rptes, le drame
musical est loin dtre statique durant cette
aria; il traverse toute une palette dmotions; et
cela est vrai de toutes les arias de Haendel.
La seconde aria de Cloptre (omise sur ce
disque), est crite elle aussi, comme tant
dautres par la suite, dans un ton aigu
particulirement clatant, en loccurrence
la majeur; cest un allegro 3/8 pour la mme
combinaison de cordes, mais Haendel ajoute
un degr de profondeur la ligne vocale en la
soulignant dun hautbois. Dguise en dame
de cour, Cloptre a russi conqurir le cur
de Csar, et dans cette aria elle se rjouit
ouvertement que le conqurant du monde ait
succomb sa beaut. Cest une danse de joie
dans laquelle elle saffiche en toute navet et
dont les rythmes entranants et les chanes
clatantes de doubles-croches passent de faon
inattendue de forte piano pour revenir forte;
la section centrale plus intime est accompagne
uniquement par les violons et la basse. Sa
troisime aria est plus simple, plus douce, cest
un allegro ma non troppo 6/8 en si bmol.
Cloptre sest assure le concours de Sextus et
de Cornelia pour lutter contre Ptolme, et ce
qui ntait au dpart quun simple accs de
dpit, un jeu presque, est devenu cet espoir
tenace de pouvoir librer lEgypte du joug
tyrannique de son frre, de devenir reine et de
gagner lamour durable de Csar. Les violons
dans laigu, tantt lunisson, tantt en tierces
apaisantes, parlent de cette toile lointaine de
lespoir et du doux frisson du plaisir et de
lamour enfin assouvi.
La premire aria de lActe II, sur un
accompagnement recherch des Muses runies,
est un chant damour trs sduisant, qui russit
dun seul geste honorer et charmer Csar.
Cest un largo 3/4, en fa. Neuf instruments,
dont un thorbe et une harpe, entourent
Cloptre sur scne; dans la fosse dorchestre,
les cordes en sourdine, divises en quatre, se
font lcho des soupirs damour et
dadmiration de Csar; elles se taisent dans la
section centrale. Dans laria suivante, alors
quelle attend Csar dans ses appartements,
Cloptre prie Vnus de lui prter tous les
charmes de Cupidon. Cest un allegro 3/8 en
la pour violons lunisson et basse, un
accompagnement qui se rduit un violon solo
lentre de la voix et la basse continue dans
49
la section centrale. La musique est la fois une
prire charmante la mre de lamour, et un
portrait des attraits resplendissants que
Cloptre espre acqurir: car Csar ignore sa
vritable identit et elle veut quil la demande
en mariage bien quelle ne soit ses yeux
quune simple roturire. Juste avant laria
suivante, Csar est parti prcipitamment se
dfendre dune attaque surprise par les
hommes du perfide Ptolme. Laisse dans
lincertitude mais consciente soudain de la
profondeur de son amour pour Csar,
Cloptre, toute son angoisse, prie pour quil
revienne sain et sauf: sil meurt, elle mourra
aussi. Des phrases descendantes la basse et
des suspensions interminables aux bassons
symbolisent son humilit devant les dieux; les
croches trpidantes des cordes mdianes
soutiennent des gestes briss plus courts aux
premiers violons, tantt pleins de dsespoir,
tantt implorants, tandis que Cloptre elle-
mme dveloppe un thme musical bien
distinct pour invoquer laide divine. Cette
pice est un largo 4/4 en fa dise mineur au
schma contrapuntique dont les sonorits
voquent Bach.
Dans lActe III, Csar est soi-disant mort,
larme de Cloptre a t vaincue et cette
dernire se pense condamne mort. Nous
retournons la tonalit de mi majeur et un
3/8 lent pour la douleur intense de Flow, my
tears, une aria clbre juste titre qui change
dmotion, de texture et de tempo dans sa
section centrale. Dans la premire partie, une
flte (jusquici associe Cornelia, la veuve
plore) vient souligner de son timbre argentin
la phrase des premiers violons que soutiennent
seuls les seconds violons et les basses; la
cantilne afflige de Cloptre rpond
inlassablement un motif carillonnant
exprimant chagrin et regret, deux notes
ascendantes puis la seconde rpte, un motif
qui se dveloppe depuis son intervalle initial de
tierce (il ny a pas de ritournelle
dintroduction) en une quarte, une quinte et
finalement une octave. La section centrale, un
allegro 4/4 dans lequel, panchant sa fureur,
elle fait le serment de revenir en fantme
hanter Ptolme, remplace la flte par un
violoncelle solo, les roulades de la ligne vocale
voquant la poursuite implacable du sclrat
au-del de la tombe; lorsque la section initiale
reparat (son intensit dcuple par de
nouveaux ornements, comme il tait de mise
dans les reprises da capo), elle est teinte dune
ironie particulirement poignante. Comme
Csar triomphe et que Ptolme est pour ainsi
dire ananti, le dernier solo de Cloptre file la
mtaphore galvaude du navire battu par la
tempte qui arrive sain et sauf au port. Cest
un allegro 4/4 qui retourne la tonalit
initiale de Cloptre, savoir celle de mi. Mais
les arias-mtaphores de Haendel se doublent
toujours dune peinture de caractre, et celle-ci
nous offre le tableau de la joie sereine et
resplendissante de la future reine qui enfle en
vritable jubilation lide des dangers passs
et des joies venir. Les violons jouent parfois
lunisson avec la voix, parfois, diviss, ils
intensifient sa joie tranquille de leurs croches
tendues rptes. La voix de Cloptre retentit
pour la dernire fois dans un merveilleux duo
avec Csar, dans lequel les amants sengagent
lun lautre; cest un allegro assez lent 12/8
en sol pour violons diviss, hautbois et basse,
laccompagnement se rduisant la basse
continue dans la section centrale; les amants
chantent aussi un trio minore avec hautbois et
basson dans la bourre finale qui runit la
troupe entire.
Lhrone de Haendel, comme celle de
Shakespeare, traverse une gamme
incomparable dtats dme; chacun de ces
tats dme est explor en dtail dans un
portrait merveilleusement concentr et
mordant, encadr de ritournelles orchestrales
aux textures trs varies (lart rsidant dans
lcriture pour cordes plutt que dans un
talage plus spectaculaire des instruments
obligs). Ces portraits sopposent dune part les
uns aux autres et dautre part, avec encore plus
de force, aux suites darias similaires qui tracent
le portrait dautres personnages, dans un style
trs proche de Racine et de son clbre
enchanement de scnes. Lopra arias
simposa tout naturellement comme la
quintessence des principaux lments
structuraux et expressifs de la musique
baroque, recourant une mthode analytique
de prsentation qui rgissait galement les
autres moyens dexpression artistiques du
temps. Forme et matire ne font quune,
labsence de finals concerts et la raret des
ensembles ne devrait pas nous troubler. Mme
laria di sortita (lair de sortie), une notion tant
dcrie, est en fait parfaitement valide: lopra
est vcu comme un dferlement de crescendos
successifs dans un drame enfivr, chaque
crescendo rsultant en une crise pour lun des
personnages qui chante alors une aria, puisant
tout ce quil y a dire jusqu ce quune
nouvelle suite dvnements mette ce
personnage dans une nouvelle situation
appelant une nouvelle aria. (Dans lopra
franais lpoque, les arias bien souvent
ouvrent lacte, si bien que laction par la suite
semble manquer dlan; en pratique, cest une
mthode moins satisfaisante sur le plan
psychologique). Depuis deux sicles, historiens
et critiques nont pas hsit rpter les
48
50 51
attaques de Gluck sur lopera seria du milieu du
XVIIIe sicle comme si elles concernaient les
opras dAlessandro Scarlatti ou de Haendel,
des opras que probablement Gluck, et sans
aucun doute tous ceux qui le citent, nont
jamais entendus. Il est bien possible que les
chanteurs soient devenus plus capricieux et
vaniteux durant les vingt annes de vaches
maigres entre 1740 et 1750; mais la virtuosit
quexigent les opras de Haendel nest jamais
creuse. Il crivit pour les plus grands chanteurs
du monde, mais leur superbe technique vocale
aurait t vaine sans la perspicacit musicale et
dramatique et le sens du style dont il fit preuve
et qui rendent les conventions impossibles de
lopera seria non seulement possibles mais
viables et vitales pour le public daujourdhui.
Brian Trowell
A propos de ldition
Jules Csar est non seulement lun des opras
les plus clbres de Haendel mais aussi lun des
plus longs. Lorsque lEnglish National Opera
dcida de monter cette uvre en 1979,
plusieurs coupures furent ralises pour donner
plus de souplesse une production qui ntait
pas destine un festival. Lorsquon nous
demanda de faire un enregistrement en studio
de cette production, nous nous somme
demands si nous devions enregistrer luvre
intgrale, puisque nous navions plus les
contraintes horaires de la scne. Mais une telle
dcision aurait entran tant de nouveaux
arrangements de cette version quelle naurait
plus eu grand chose voir avec la production
initiale de lEnglish National Opera qui avait
plu tant damateurs dopra. Le choix des
coupures navait pas t fait la lgre, dans le
souci de conserver une version cohrente et
fluide de cette uvre majestueuse, et la
dcision fut donc prise de ne rien changer la
production, lexception de la restitution de
deux passages qui avaient t coups assez tard
dans les rptitions: la section B et le da
capo du duo final et laria de Ptolme dans
lActe II.
La plupart des arias et des duos de Julius
Caesar suivent la forme da capo ABA, une
forme inhrente au style lyrique de Haendel.
Il nous a donc sembl prfrable de couper des
arias entires plutt que de dfigurer ce plan
tripartite. Ainsi Csar, Cloptre et Cornelia
perdent chacun une aria, Sextus en perd trois
et les autres personnages deux chacun. Une
scne entire, la fin du deuxime acte, a t
omise et les rcitatifs, qui font avancer
lintrigue, ont t raccourcis.
Tous ceux qui ont eu un rle jouer dans le
choix de la musique pour cette production
esprent que les contrastes dramatiques de
Haendel, ses enchanements de tonalits (en
dpit de certaines transpositions pour arranger
certains chanteurs) et le droulement
densemble de ce grand chef duvre nauront
pas trop souffert des coupures qui nous
parurent ncessaires pour les raisons pratiques
dj abordes. Lornementation des reprises et
des cadences fut un travail dquipe, incluant
les chanteurs eux-mmes, la norme lpoque
de Haendel. Ces ornements sont
spcifiquement adapts aux talents des
chanteurs ayant pris part cette production et
aux personnages quils incarnent. Nous navons
pas cherch reproduire le genre
dornementation quun Senesino ou un
Cuzzoni auraient pu choisir pour ces arias.
Haendel lui-mme adapta sa musique aux
chanteurs dont il disposait et il recomposa
mme certains passages de Jules Csar lorsque le
rle de Sextus, jusque l interprt par une
soprano, fut confi un tnor. On se demande
ce quil aurait fait sil avait t confront aux
aigus si clatants de Dame Janet Baker aprs
avoir compos initialement le rle de Csar
pour Senesino, un castrat la voix profonde
dont le registre ne dpassait gure une octave.
Aurait-il carrment recompos ces arias au
caractre si merveilleusement marqu et si
riches dans leur diversit, ou se serait-il
content de les adapter cette chanteuse?
Comme il ne peut malheureusement pas nous
donner son avis ou adapter Julius Caesar pour
nous, nous nous sommes lancs een changeant
de faon assez radicale la tessiture et les
tonalits des arias de Csar, en particulier dans
les da capo.
De mme, les parties orchestrales de la
partition ont t rvises pour permettre aux
membres de lorchestre de lEnglish National
Opera, quips dinstruments modernes
normaux, de produire les rythmes et
lexpression dun orchestre du XVIIIe sicle.
Un violoncelle baroque vient sajouter au
clavecin pour accompagner les rcitatifs tandis
quune viole de gambe et un thorbe
compltent sur scne lorchestre charmant de
Cloptre lActe II. Autrement, lorchestre
comprend uniquement des instruments
modernes, et les fltes traversires y remplacent
les fltes bec (qui ne se marient bien quavec
des instruments anciens).
Les churs au dbut et la fin de luvre,
ainsi quun court chur rvolutionnaire chant
dans les coulisses, taient confis lorigine
tous les solistes disponibles (mme les deux
dont le personnage est mort la fin!). Ce sont
dailleurs leurs noms qui apparaissent dans la
partition originale (Durastanti, Robinson,
Berenstadt, etc.) plutt que les voix. Il nous a
52 53
cependant paru plus appropri de remplacer cet
ensemble minuscule par un vritable chur,
mme sil ne sagit que dun petit chur.
1999 Charles Mackerras
Laction
Laction se droule en Egypte, Alexandrie mme
et dans les environs.
Acte I
Csar est acclam par la foule gyptienne.
Il accepte de faire la paix la demande de la
femme de Pompe, Cornelia, et du jeune fils
de cette dernire, Sextus. Achille, gnral de
Ptolme, savance et dclare que son matre
dsire lamiti de Csar. Comme preuve, lun
de ses hommes lui tend la tte tranche de
Pompe. Les Romains sont horrifis et Csar,
hors de lui, dnonce la cruaut de Ptolme et
dit Achille de prvenir son matre de son
arrive imminente. Eperdue de chagrin,
Cornelia tente de se tuer mais Sextus et Curio
len empchent. Puis Sextus lui promet de
venger la mort de son pre.
Cloptre apprend que Pompe a t
assassin et dcide de demander laide de Csar
pour affirmer sa suprmatie sur lEgypte. Mais
Ptolme surprend ses plans et commence se
moquer de son ambition; Cloptre rtorque
quil est plus dans son lment avec les filles
qu la tte dun royaume. Achille raconte
Ptolme comment Csar a ragi son cadeau
et jure danantir Csar, condition que
Cornelia soit sienne. Ptolme fait le serment
de se venger de Csar qui a os linsulter.
Csar, songeur, contemple lurne funraire
de Pompe. Cloptre, se faisant passer pour
Lydia, sa servante, entre. Elle supplie Csar de
laider rparer les torts que Ptolme a caus
Cloptre; Csar, boulevers par une telle
beaut, accepte de bon cur. Alors que
Cloptre est sur le point de sortir, Cornelia
entre, pleurant son mari. Se rendant compte
que Cornelia et Sextus ont dcid de tuer
Ptolme, Cloptre, sans rvler son identit,
leur offre son aide. Impatiente de voir leur plan
russir, elle propose que son fidle conseiller
Nirenus les introduise dans le palais.
Ptolme accueille Csar en grande pompe
mais il est vident que la confiance ne rgne
pas entre les deux hommes et Ptolme
complote de tuer Csar cette nuit-mme. Mais
Csar nest pas dupe. Cornelia et Sextus sont
alors introduits et Sextus provoque Ptolme
en duel. Pour toute rponse, Ptolme ordonne
quils soient arrts: il envoie Cornelia travailler
comme esclave dans les jardins du harem
tandis que Sextus est emprisonn au palais.
Achille explique Cornelia quil pourrait
allger son fardeau si elle voulait bien laimer
mais elle le repousse avec ddain. Mre et fils
sont emmens chacun de leur ct.
Acte II
Pour faire une surprise Csar, Cloptre a
organis un divertissement. Elle parat devant
lui dans un jardin du palais, incarnant la Vertu
trnant au Parnasse, entoure des neuf muses,
et entonne la clbre aria Lamenting,
complaining of Caesars disaining. Csar,
envot, suit Nirenus qui lentrane vers les
appartements de sa matresse.
Cornelia, dcourage, mdite sur son
extrme tristesse mais rien ne pourra la
persuader daccepter les avances dAchille. Elle
contrarie aussi Ptolme en refusant dcouter
ses dclarations damour. Desespre, elle
dcide de se jeter au milieu des tigres qui
gardent le srail. Soudain Sextus entre, stant
chapp de sa prison, et elle reprend courage
quand il lui annonce quil va la librer. Sextus
jure de se venger de Ptolme.
Cloptre attend Csar avec impatience. Elle
fait semblant de dormir lorsquil entre et
surprend ainsi la dclaration damour quil lui
adresse. Alors quil parle de mariage, elle
sveille: dcontenanc, il ne semble gure
dispos son gard, ce qui la consterne. Cest
alors que Curio fait irruption et leur rvle que
les hommes de Ptolme sont dans le palais,
la recherche de Csar quils veulent tuer.
Cloptre les stupfie en rvlant sa vritable
identit mais cela ne suffit pas arrter les
acolytes de son frre. Csar, intrpide, court
la rencontre de ses ennemis. Cloptre coute
la lutte qui suit et prie pour quil revienne sain
et sauf.
Acte III
Csar, vaincu, a soi-disant pri en mer.
Cloptre a dclar la guerre Ptolme mais
elle aussi est vaincue et faite prisonnire.
Ptolme dnonce son comportement pervers
et la fait enchaner. Dsespre, Cloptre
songe son malheur si soudain dans la clbre
complainte Flow, my tears.
Csar se souvient de sa dfaite et pense
Cloptre. Curio et Sextus sapprochent mais
avant de voir Csar, ils rencontrent Achille,
bless mort. Ce dernier avoue avant de
mourir que cest bien lui qui a tu Pompe et
tent dassassiner Csar. Il raconte quil est
pass lennemi quand Ptolme a refus de lui
donner Cornelia, la rcompense quil lui avait
promise. Il leur donne alors une bague qui leur
assurera le soutien de ses armes et qui leur
permettra dentrer dans le palais pour tuer
Ptolme. Csar savance et sempare de la
bague: les trois Romains, heureux de se
54 55
retrouver, dcident de sauver Cornelia et
Cloptre.
Cloptre supplie ses servantes de schapper
avant que son frre ne les tue. Elle entend des
bruits darmes et se prpare mourir, mais cest
Csar qui entre, lpe la main, pour lenlacer
et la dlivrer.
Devant les lgions et le peuple dAlexandrie
runis, Csar est acclam comme empereur de
Rome. Sextus raconte comment il a tu
Ptolme, et Cornelia remet Csar les
insignes royaux de lEgypte. Se tournant vers
Cloptre, Csar la couronne reine dEgypte et
ensemble, dans lallgresse gnrale, ils
dclarent leur flamme ternelle.
Traduction: Nicole Valencia
Dame Janet Baker sest produite avec les
orchestres et les maestros les plus illustres dans
le monde et elle a enregistr avec toutes les plus
grandes troupes lyriques. Ne dans le
Yorkshire, elle tudie le chant avec Helene
Isepp puis Meriel St Clair. En 1956 elle
remporte le deuxime Prix du Kathleen Ferrier
Award et ds lors simpose sur la scne
internationale, o elle devient tout autant
rpute pour ses rcitals de Lieder, ses rles
lyriques que ses solos de concert. Elle se fait
remarquer entre autres dans Dido and Aeneas
de Purcell Aldeburgh avec lEnglish National
Opera en 1962, dans le rle-titre du Rape of
Lucretia de Britten (en 1964 et 1970) et dans
le rle de Kate dans Owen Wingrave (1971)
Pour le Royal Opera elle est Vitellia (La
clmence de Titus), et lAlceste de Gluck, pour
Glyndebourne elle interprte Diana/Jupiter
(La Calisto de Cavalli), et Pnlope (Le Retour
dUlysse de Monteverdi), pour le Scottish
Opera elle est Didon (Les troyens de Berlioz) et
pour lEnglish National Opera elle chante un
rpertoire allant de Monteverdi au Werther de
Massenet, en passant par Mary Stuart de
Donizetti et The Damnation of Faust de Berlioz
(Marguerite). Cest avec une production de
Maria Stuarda quelle fait ses adieux lEnglish
National Opera. Elle a reu de nombreuses
distinctions, comme le Prix Shakespeare de
Hambourg en 1971 et le titre de docteur
honoris causa de luniversit de Londres, de
luniversit de Birmingham et de celle
dOxford. Dame Janet Baker est devenue
Commander of the British Empire (CBE) en
1970 et Dame of the British Empire (DBE) en
1976. Elle a fait de trs nombreux
enregistrements, gravant entre autres Ariodante,
et Mary Stuart de Donizetti, Orphe et Eurydice
de Gluck, Das Lied von der Erde de Mahler et
un grand nombre de rcitals.
Christopher Booth-Jones est n dans le
Somerset et a tudi la Royal Academy of
Music Londres. Il a fait ses dbuts lyriques
lors dune tourne du Welsh National Opera
for All avant de se produire avec le Welsh
National Opera, avec lOpra du Festival de
Glyndebourne et le Glyndebourne Touring
Opera, Kent Opera et lEnglish Music Theatre.
Il a chant plusieurs rles au sein de lEnglish
National Opera dont Papageno, Dr. Falke,
Schaunard, Silvio, Pantaloon (The Love for
Three Oranges), Elviro (Xerxs), le comte
Almaviva (The Marriage of Figaro) et Giorgio
Germont. Il sest galement produit avec
Opera North et le Royal Opera et on lentend
rgulirement la BBC (Radio 2, Radio 3 et
Radio 4), Radio France et la Radio belge.
Il a enregistr entre autres Carmen, Billy Budd,
Pacific Overtures de Sondheim et Tosca (pour
Chandos en collaboration avec la Peter Moores
Foundation).
Aprs avoir tudi le violon au Royal College
of Music Londres, Sarah Walker sest oriente
vers le chant et, guide par son professeur Vera
Rosza, elle sest cr un vaste rpertoire allant
de Bach et Monteverdi jusquaux compositeurs
du XXe sicle tels Berio, Boulez, Cage, Henze,
Ligeti, Copland et Ives. Ses concerts lont fait
voyager dans le monde entier et elle a travaill
avec Ozawa, Davis, Mackerras, Solti,
Norrington, Boulez, Rozhdestvensky, Masur,
Harnoncourt et Rattle.
Le nom de Sarah Walker est associ de prs
celui du Royal Opera puisquelle y a interprt
de nombreux rles dont ceux de Baba the Turk
(The Rakes Progress), Charlotte (Werther), Mrs
Sedley (Peter Grimes), chantant aussi dans The
King Goes Forth to France de Sallinen, Taverner
de Maxwell Davies et Samson de Haendel. Avec
lEnglish National Opera, elle a t entre autres
Marie Stuart, Charlotte, la Comtesse (The
Queen of Spades), Elizabeth I dans Gloriana
(Britten) et Katisha (The Mikado). Elle sest
galement produite Genve, San Francisco,
Chicago, au Metropolitan Opera de New York
et Glyndebourne, et ses rcitals sont fameux.
Son importante discographie comprend Peter
Grimes, Romo et Juliette, Le songe dune nuit
dt de Mendelssohn, La traviata et elle a tenu
le rle de Martha dans lenregistrement du
Faust de Gounod ralis par Chandos en
collaboration avec la Peter Moores Foundation.
Della Jones, lune des plus grandes mezzo-
sopranos de Grande-Bretagne, est ne Neath
et a fait ses tudes au Royal College of Music
Londres, remportant de nombreux prix, dont
la Kathleen Ferrier Memorial Scholarship. Son
vaste rpertoire va de la musique ancienne la
56 57
musique contemporaine. Elle a chant avec les
plus grandes troupes lyriques britanniques et
sest produite sur de nombreuses scnes
internationales aux Etats-Unis, en Russie, au
Japon, au Canada et dans lEurope entire. Elle
a chant les rles-titres dAriodante, La
Cenerentola et Carmen ainsi que les rles de
Rosine, Hrodias (Salom), Baba the Turk (The
Rakes Progress), Marcelline (Les noces de Figaro),
lHtesse (Boris Godounov) et Tante Hermance
dans Doctor Oxs Experiment de Gavin Bryars.
Della Jones passe frquemment la radio et
la tlvision dans son pays comme ltranger;
elle a ralis de nombreux enregistrements,
gravant entre autres Alcina, Le couronnement de
Poppe, Didon et Ene, La clmence de Titus,
Die Kathrin de Korngold, The Barber of Seville
(pour Chandos en collaboration avec la Peter
Moores Foundation).
Valerie Masterson est ne Birkenhead et a
tudi Londres et Milan. Elle a chant une
saison Salzbourg avant dentrer dans la
DOyly Carte Opera Company comme
principale soprano. Elle a chant avec toutes les
plus grandes troupes lyriques du Royaume-Uni
et sa riche carrire internationale la conduite
entre autres Aix-en-Provence, Nancy,
Montpellier, Paris ( lOpra), Toulouse,
Bordeaux, Genve, Rouen, Prague, Dublin,
Munich, Marseille, Milan (la Piccola Scala),
Barcelone, Chicago, Philadelphie, Santagio,
San Francisco, New Yourk et Houston.
Son vaste rpertoire comprend les rles-titres
de La traviata, Manon, Louise, Mireille,
La veuve joyeuse et Sml; elle a galement t
Madame Lidoine (Dialogues des carmlites),
Micala, Susanne et la Comtesse Almaviva,
Sophie et la Marchale, Mim, Marguerite
(Faust), Antonia (Les contes dHoffmann) et elle
a chant dans The King Goes Forth to France
avec le Royal Opera. Valerie Masterson travaille
rgulirement pour la radio et la tlvision et
elle a enregistr entre autres Elisabetta, regina
dInghilterra, Lor du Rhin, Le crpuscule des
Dieux, plusieurs oprettes de Gilbert et
Sullivan et La traviata.
Depuis prs de trente ans, James Bowman
figure parmi llite mondiale des contre-tnors.
Il partage sa carrire entre lopra, loratorio, la
musique contemporaine et les rcitals en
soliste. Enfant de chur la cathdrale dEly, il
fait ses tudes New College Oxford et
chante dans le chur de la chapelle. Il fait se
dbuts londoniens en 1967 lorsque Britten
linvite chanter durant le concert
dinauguration du nouveau Queen Elizabeth
Hall. Sa carrire est alors bien lance, aussi
bien sur la scne lyrique que dans la salle de
concert. James Bowman a chant Sadlers
Wells (Le songe dune nuit dt), Glyndebourne
(La Calisto), lEnglish National Opera (Sml)
et au Royal Opera (Taverner). Sa carrire
internationale la conduit Paris, au thtre de
La Fenice Venise, La Scala de Milan, Aix-
en-Provence, lOpra de Sydney et aux Etat-
Unis.
James Bowman a grav plus de cent-
cinquante disques, enregistrant entre autres
Mort Venise, Le songe dune nuit dt et
Rejoice in the Lamb de Britten, Orphe et
Eurydice de Gluck et lOrfeo de Monteverdi.
John Tomlinson est n dans le Lancashire;
aprs avoir achev son diplme dingnieur des
travaux publics Manchester, il a obtenu une
bourse dtudes au Royal Manchester College
of Music. Il chante rgulirement avec
lEnglish National Opera depuis 1974 et avec
le Royal Opera depuis 1976; il sest galement
produit avec Opera North, Scottish Opera,
lOpra du Festival de Glyndebourne et le
Glyndebourne Touring Opera ainsi quavec
Kent Opera. Parmi ses premiers rles notons
ceux de Figaro, Masetto, Hunding, Hagen,
Pimne et du roi Henri (Lohengrin).
Depuis 1988 il chante chaque anne au
Festival de Bayreuth o il a t Wotan (Lor du
Rhin et La Walkyrie), le Voyageur (Siegfried ),
Titurel et Gurnemanz (Parsifal ) et le roi Marke
(Tristan et Isolde). Parmi ses autres rles, notons
ceux de Hans Sachs (Les matres chanteurs),
du Landgrave (Tannhuser), de Hagen
(Le crpuscule des Dieux) et du Baron Ochs
(Le chevalier la rose). Il a enregistr entre
autres le cycle de lAnneau, La force du destin et
La traviata de Verdi ainsi que les grands airs de
Boris Godounov de Moussorgsky et du Chevalier
la rose de Strauss (pour Chandos en
collaboration avec la Peter Moores Foundation).
David James a tudi le chant Magdalen
College Oxford avant de devenir membre du
chur de lAbbaye de Westminster. Il a
remport le Premier Prix du Concours
s-Hertogenbosch aux Pays-Bas en 1978 et se
produit depuis sur la scne internationale la
fois comme soliste et comme membre
densembles comme The Sixteen, tout en
tenant des grands rles lyriques pour lEnglish
National Opera, lHaendel Opera, lOpra de
Genve et le Festival dAldeburgh.
Membre fondateur de lHilliard Ensemble,
David James donne une centaine de concerts
par an avec ce groupe, dans un rpertoire allant
de la musique du Moyen-ge et de la
Renaissance jusquaux uvres contemporaines.
Il a chant dans le monde entier en soliste, se
spcialisant dans la musique baroque et la
58 59
musique contemporaine. Il a enregistr entre
autres La passion selon saint Jean et La passion
selon saint Matthieu de Bach, Le Messie de
Haendel et Passio de Prt.
Sir Charles Mackerras naquit en 1925 aux
Etats-Unis de parents australiens et fit ses
tudes Sydney et Prague. Il fit ses dbuts de
chef lyrique au Sadlers Wells, o il contribua
la premire britannique de Kta Kabanov de
Jancek, une cration sensationnelle qui assura
Jancek de figurer au rpertoire des troupes
britanniques. Il fut Chef dorchestre principal
de lOpra de Hambourg (19661969) et
directeur musical du Sadlers Wells Opera (qui
deviendrait lEnglish National Opera) entre
1970 et 1977 et du Welsh National Opera
entre 1987 et 1992, o ses productions
remarquables de Jancek furent accueillies avec
enthousiasme. La production et
lenregistrement dOsud ont t financs par la
Peter Moores Foundation, qui finana aussi
lenregistrement de La petite renarde ruse. Il est
chef dorchestre honoraire du Scottish
Chamber Orchestra et du Welsh National
Opera, lun des chefs rguliers de lOpra de
San Francisco et, depuis la saison 19981999,
directeur du St Lukes Orchestra New York.
Sir Charles Mackerras a fait des recherches
pousses sur linterprtation aux XVIIIe et
XIXe sicles qui ont profondment influenc la
faon dont il aborde le rpertoire aujourdhui.
Sa vaste discographie comprend un cycle prim
des opras de Jancek avec la Philharmonie de
Vienne, Gloriana de Britten (prim par la
revue Gramophone), des Symphonies de
Beethoven, Brahms et Mahler, et avec lEnglish
National Opera Mary Stuart de Donizetti et
La traviata de Verdi.
Sir Charles Mackerras est Commander of
the British Empire (CBE) depuis 1974 et a t
anobli en 1979 pour services rendus la
musique. Il sest vu galement dcerner la
Mdaille du mrite de la Rpublique tchque
et le titre de Companion of the Order of
Australia.
Handel e lopera ad arie
Lopera seria fu la creazione pi importante e
pi prestigiosa del Barocco musicale. Senza le
sue tecniche, convenzioni ed estetica gli oratori
di Handel e la padronanza di Bach dellaria e
dellornamentazione melodica non avrebbero
potuto avere lo sviluppo che ebbero. Eppure
solo recentemente che i nostri teatri lirici hanno
cominciato a prendere seriamente lopera seria
nei suoi propri termini. Il pubblico, forse,
imparer a trovare una sorgente di forza nelle
sue stesse artificiosit e irrealt: pi di
qualsiasi altra forma darte lopera ha bisogno
delle sue convenzioni una struttura
predeterminata, un modello prevedibile dal
quale possano esser fatte deviazioni
significative. Eppure oggi, quando tutto
permesso, il melodramma pu essere travasato
come cemento armato in qualsiasi forma o
stampo. Molti compositori moderni che si sono
avventurati in campo operistico vi diranno con
rammarico e tutta onest di sentirsi incapacitati
dallinizio dalla mancanza di una qualsiasi
lingua comune che congiunga scena e pubblico.
In tale contesto la rigidit della convenzione
barocca diviene una forza ben gradita.
un po paradossale che le pi belle opere
serie italiane dellera barocca siano state scritte
da un compositore sassone che viveva a Londra
e che metteva in musica libretti quasi mai
destinati specialmente per lui, in una lingua
che non era la sua n era quella del suo
pubblico (sebbene il pubblico di allora abbia
probabilmente capito litaliano meglio di un
moderno pubblico inglese ed abbia avuto a
disposizione un libretto bilingue). Ma
lisolamento di Handel gli diede certi vantaggi.
Gli era assai pi facile adattare libretti alla sua
volont, troncando i fini, e spesso verbosi,
sentimenti dei recitativi per far posto ad arie
pi numerose e pi estese e, malgrado le
erronee idee correnti, lessenziale continuit
dellazione sta nella successione di arie e non
nei recitativi. Handel sembra aver esercitato un
assai maggior controllo sulla sua compagnia ed
i suoi interpreti di quanto non sarebbe stato il
caso in una tipica compagnia italiana ad una
Corte dellItalia o della Germania Meridionale:
la Royal Academy of Music, sebbene godesse
del patronato della Corte, era costituita in
tipica maniera britannica in societ anonima.
Handel deve aver tratto inoltre prezioso
Handel: Julius Caesar
60 61
appoggio artistico dai pi sagaci fra i suoi
nobili patroni della Londra augustea, come il
Conte di Burlington. facile dimenticare,
quando leggiamo gli spesso partigiani attacchi
allopera italiana da parte di scrittori come
Addison e Steele, oppure resoconti della
frivolit del pubblico londinese, che le
concezioni drammatichi di Handel erano pi
forti e pi sottili delle loro, che egli non era
stato nutrito con una dieta di Otway e Rowe, e
che gran parte dei rilevanti saggi sullestetica
della pittura e della architettura che egli pu
aver letto in autori come Shaftesbury era assai
pertinente allalta descrittivit dellopera ad
arie. La scelta del momento significativo,
lesatto punto narrativo o singola crisi emotiva
con cui deve trattare un quadro o unaria; quale
gesto, tono, tessitura o disegno occorrono ad
illuminarli il fulcro del metodo operistico
handeliano che , allo stesso tempo, altamente
analitico e straordinariamente concentrato e
appassionato.
I temi generali dellopera seria ci possono
oggi sembrare spesso irrilevanti. Sia che la trama
si basi su un mito classico, storia medievale o
fantasia epica largomento concerne
essenzialmente il comportamento dei grandi e
dei potenti, dei re, principi e duchi che avevano
favorito la nuova arte e se nerano serviti per
celebrare le grandi occasioni a corte. Dietro ad
un tipico libretto di Handel possiamo scorgere
le considerazioni morali e sociali degli antichi
drammaturghi francesi, Corneille e Racine
(luno mostra il volere dellindividuo che trionfa
sulle tentazioni, laltro il fallimento del volere e
la distruzione dellindividuo). Come dovrebbero
comportarsi i grandi della terra? Come
dovrebbero usare il loro potere assoluto quando
il dovere pubblico e lamore privato vengono a
conflitto? Come scegliersi una consorte? Come
procedere affinch la loro gloire il loro buon
nome, reputazione, onore continui a
giustificare lammirazione e lobbedienza dei
loro sudditi e delle loro famiglie? Queste
questioni erano di grande importanza in
unepoca di assolutismo illimitato, in cui
matrimoni e le eredit potevano portare a
conflitti dinastici come la guerra di successione
spagnola. La rivoluzione francese e larrivo di
una monarchia costituzionale e borghese
naturalmente spogliarono lopera seria, a questo
livello, della massima parte della sua palese
rilevanza contemporanea.
Peraltro Corneille e Racine si spinsero oltre i
loro immediati argomenti verso verit
universali, espresse in versi immortali ed in una
potente rappresentazione drammatica, cosicch
i loro drammi, superiori ai loro temi locali,
ancora sopravvivono. Lo stesso dicasi dei
melodrammi handeliani. Le singole arie,
naturalmente, non furono mai obliate, e molte
sono state cantate come pezzi da concerto dal
tempo in cui Walsh o Cluer le pubblicarono.
Ci detto, e in vista del fatto che le opere
consistono di arie solistiche e pochissimo
daltro, ci sembrer forse strano che sia stato
necessario aspettare tanto a lungo per arrivare
ad una giusta comprensione dei principi usati
da Handel per descrivere i personaggi e per
sistemarli in sequenze significativamente
raggruppate, per costruire una scena, un atto,
unopera intera.
Il metodo simile a quello di Hogarth. La
sua famosa serie di quadri, presto tradotti in
stampe ad alta tiratura, quali La carriera di un
libertino, non hanno bisogno di narrazione n
di recitativo. Hogarth seleziona per la
descrizione vari momenti significativi nella
storia del Libertino o della Prostituta,
sistemando intorno al suo personaggio centrale
tale una dovizia di eloquenti dettagli
Rakewell che compra lamore in un bordello,
Rakewell che compra ammirazione sociale di
modo che noi, esaminando il dettaglio,
diffondiamo limmagine nella nostra mente al
di l dei confini spaziali e temporali del
quadro; lintavolatura fra i singoli quadri,
mentre procediamo dalluno allaltro, si carica
delle implicazioni della storia. Un simile
parallelo pu essere fatto con i metodi di
Richardson di narrazione analitica nel romanzo
tramite una sequenza di lettere individuali.
Se esaminiamo la descrizione handeliana di
Cleopatra tramite laria, forse con la Cleopatra
shakespeariana nel fondo della nostra mente,
arriveremo ad una migliore nozione
dellestetica e drammaturgia largamente prive
di documentazione che guidarono i metodi
di Handel. Egli la ritrae in una sequenza
analitica di otto arie, due recitativi
accompagnati ed un duetto, ogni pezzo ben
sistemato con attenzione al contrasto e alla
continuit, in mezzo ad una pi vasta sequenza
di una quarantina di pezzi, quasi tutti arie
solistiche.
La sua prima aria, Yet why despair?, un
allegro in tempo comune in mi, accompagnato
da tutti i violini in unisono, sostenuti da viole
e bassi. Le viole suonano solo nel tutti
orchestrale, e nella sezione centrale anche i
violini vengono eliminati. I principali temi
musicali dellaria, che insolitamente non sono
derivati dalla linea vocale, la mostrano intenta
a stuzzicare il suo odiato fratello, Tolomeo,
schernendolo e dileggiandolo quale un giovane
effeminato indegno di governare. Leffetto
raggiunto con note ripetute, enfatiche
semiminime con mordenti e crome staccate
che lasciano il passo a brevi frasi mordaci e
fioriture ridenti. Persino la prevista fioritura su
62 63
parole come heart (cuore) e console
(consolare) assume un tono di ironica
canzonatura. Il dramma musicale dellaria non
affatto statico malgrado le parole ripetute;
fluisce e rifluisce con differenti sfumature di
sentimento; e altrettanto si pu dire di tutte le
arie di Handel.
La successiva aria di Cleopatra (qui omessa)
anchessa, come molte altre che seguiranno,
in una tonalit pungente e brillante, la
maggiore; un allegro in 3/8 per la stessa
combinazione di archi, ma Handel aggiunge
un tono pi profondo alla linea vocale
orlandola con un oboe. Travestita da dama di
corte Cleopatra riuscita ad accaparrarsi il
cuore di Cesare, e laria descrive il suo schietto
compiacimento nel potere della sua bellezza sul
conquistatore del mondo. una danza di
piacere e di ingenua auto-ostentazione, i suoi
agili ritmi e brillanti catene di semicrome
virando inaspettatamente avanti e indietro dal
forte al piano, con una sezione pi intima nel
mezzo, accompagnata solo dai violini e basso.
La sua terza aria pi morbida, un allegro ma
non troppo in 6/8 in si bemolle. Ha tirato dalla
sua parte Sesto e Cornelia perch laiutino nella
sua contesa con Tolomeo, e ci che era
cominciato come un mero puntiglio, quasi un
gioco, ora cresciuto in una radicata speranza
di liberare lEgitto dal suo tirannico fratello e
conquistare sia il trono sia lamore duraturo di
Cesare. I violini nel registro alto, ora in
unisono ora in terze cullanti, ci parlano della
lontana stella della speranza, della tenera
eccitazione del piacere e dellamore che trovano
matura gratificazione.
La prima aria dellAtto II, elaboratamente
accompagnata da tutte le Muse, una
seducente canzone damore, intesa a venerare e
affascinare Cesare allo stesso tempo. un largo
in 3/4, in fa. Cleopatra ha unaureola di nove
strumenti solisti in scena (che includono tiorba
e arpa); nella buca dorchestra gli archi a
quattro parti con sordina fanno eco agli
adoranti sospiri dammirazione di Cesare,
cadendo nel silenzio per la sezione centrale.
Nellaria successiva Cleopatra lo aspetta nei suoi
appartamenti e prega Venere di prestarle tutti
gli incantesimi di Cupido. Questaria un
allegro in 3/8 in la per violini e basso
allunisono, che si riducono a un violino solo
quando entra la voce, poi al solo continuo
durante la sezione centrale. La musica
suggerisce unincantevole invocazione alla
madre dellamore e allo stesso tempo un ritratto
delle splendenti attrattive che Cleopatra spera
di acquistare: giacch Cesare ignora la sua
identit e lei vuole che lui la chieda in moglie
nonostante gli appaia come una persona
qualunque. Poco prima della prossima aria
Cesare corso a difendersi da un perfido
attacco che gli stato lanciato di sorpresa dagli
uomini di Tolomeo. Rimasta nellincertezza e
nellansia, e accorgendosi ora di amare
profondamente Cesare, Cleopatra lancia
unangosciata preghiera per la sua salvezza: se
lui muore, morir anche lei. Frasi cadenti nel
basso e trascinate sospensioni nei fagotti
suggeriscono che Cleopatra si umilia dinanzi
agli dei: crome palpitanti negli archi centrali
sostengono brevi gesti spezzati nei primi violini,
volta a volta disperanti ed imploranti, mentre la
stessa Cleopatra ha una linea tematica del tutto
indipendente nei suoi appelli allaiuto divino. Il
pezzo un largo in tempo comune in fa diesis
minore, concepito in maniera contrappuntistica
e di tono molto bachiano.
NellAtto III Cesare ritenuto morto,
lesercito di Cleopatra stato sconfitto ed essa
si aspetta di essere condannata a morte. Si
ritorna alla tonalit di mi maggiore ed ad un
lento 3/8 per il cocente dolore di Flow, my
tears, aria famosa, che nella sezione centrale
volge ad una emozione, tessitura e tempo
diversi. La prima parte ha un flauto (che finora
si identificato con Cornelia, la vedova afflitta)
che inargenta la linea dei primi violini,
sostenuta solo dai secondi e dai bassi; al
lamento di Cleopatra fa costantemente eco un
rintocco di angoscia e di rimpianto: due note
in ascesa con la seconda ripetuta, che si
sviluppano dal suo introduttivo intervallo di
una terza (senza ritornello introduttivo) ad una
quarta, una quinta ed alfine unottava. La
sezione centrale, un allegro in tempo comune,
in cui essa furiosamente giura che il suo spirito
torner dalla tomba per perseguitare Tolomeo,
rimpiazza il flauto con un violoncello solo che
evoca nei rapidi passaggi della linea vocale
limplacabile caccia al furfante al di l della
morte; ci tinge il ritorno della sezione
introduttiva (resa pi intensa da un aggiunta
ornamentazione, come ci si aspetta da tutte le
riprese da capo) con unulteriore intensit
ironica. Laria finale di Cleopatra, con Cesare
trionfante e Tolomeo praticamente distrutto,
un esempio dellaria simile sulla sfruttata
immagine della nave sbattuta dalle onde che
arriva felicemente in porto. un allegro in
tempo comune nella introduttiva tonalit di
Cleopatra in mi. Ma le arie simili di Handel
sono invariabilmente anche ritratti del
personaggio, e questa un quadro della serena
e luminosa delizia della futura regina, che
diviene un giubilo intenso al pensiero dei
pericoli scongiurati e delle gioie che il futuro
prevede. I violini sono talvolta in unisono con
la voce, e talvolta divisi, scavando nella sua
calma gioia con tese crome ripetute. Lultima
volta che sentiamo Cleopatra in un aureo
64 65
duetto con Cesare, nel quale gli amanti si
scambiano il loro amore; questo duetto in
sol, un allegro moderato in 12/8 per violini
divisi, oboi e basso, che si riducono al continuo
solo per la sezione centrale; gli amanti cantano
inoltre un trio in minore, con oboi e fagotto,
nella bourre finale.
Vediamo e sentiamo leroina di Handel,
come quella di Shakespeare, in
unincomparabile variet di umori, ognuno
esplorato a fondo in un ritratto brillantemente
concentrato ed epigrammatico, incorniciato da
ritornelli orchestrali cangianti (in cui larte sta
nella scrittura degli archi piuttosto che in un
pi spettacolare sfoggio di strumenti obbligati).
I ritratti sono in contrasto fra loro e,
naturalmente, ancora di pi con la simile serie
di arie per altri personaggi nella quale vengono
incastrati, con unarte del tutto paragonabile
alla famosa enchanement de scnes di Racine
(lallacciamento di una sequenza di scene).
Lopera ad arie si sviluppa in modo
perfettamente naturale come la quintessenza
dei principali elementi espressivi e strutturali
della musica barocca, usando un metodo
analitico di presentazione che altrettanto
comune in altre forme darte del tempo. Forma
e sostanza si unificano n deve crucciarci il
fatto che non ci sono finali concertati, n
praticamente quasi nessuno ensemble. Persino
la psicologia della molto derisa aria di
congedo in effetti perfettamente valida:
lopera si scopre come una serie di crescendi,
come onde di eccitazione drammatica, ognuno
di essi termina in una crisi per uno dei
personaggi che canta unaria, dopo di che, per
il momento, non c pi nulla da dire fin
quando una nuova sequenza di eventi non ha
posto quel personaggio in una nuova
situazione che richiede una nuova aria.
(Nellopera francese di quel tempo latto spesso
comincia con laria, cosicch la successiva
azione appesa ad essa: in pratica ci sembra
psicologicamente meno soddisfacente). stato
tutto troppo facile, per gli ultimi due secoli,
per storici e critici continuare a ripetere le
censure di Gluck nei confronti dellopera seria
della met del Settecento cos come se fossero
intese a riferirsi alle opere di Alessandro
Scarlatti e di Handel, che probabilmente Gluck
e certamente coloro che lo citano non avevano
mai sentito. Pu ben darsi che il capriccio e la
vanit dei cantanti si fossero accresciute
durante le annate magre della quarta e quinta
decade del Settecento; ma il virtuosismo che le
opere di Handel esigono non mai vuoto. Egli
scriveva per i pi grandi cantanti del mondo,
ma la loro superba tecnica vocale sarebbe stata
inutile senza la veggenza drammatica e
musicale e il senso dello stile che solo capace
a rendere le impossibili convenzioni
dellopera seria non semplicemente possibili
ma vitali e viabili per noi nel nostro tempo.
Brian Trowell
Nota sulledizione
Il Giulio Cesare non soltanto una delle opere
pi note di Handel, anche una delle pi
lunghe. Quando la English National Opera la
mise in scena nel 1979 furono apportati vari
tagli per ridurla a proporzioni maneggevoli per
circostanze che non fossero quelle di un festival.
Quando ci fu proposto di portare lallestimento
in uno studio di registrazione ci chiedemmo se
non fosse il caso di registrare lopera per intero,
non essendo imposte le limitazioni di tempo
che esistono in un teatro. Ci avrebbe
comportato, comunque, tante modifiche alla
versione che non sarebbe pi stata la stessa
produzione dellEnglish National Opera che era
stata vista e goduta da tanti amanti dellopera.
Fu esercitata immensa cura nel decidere quali
delle arie dovessero essere tagliate per poter
produrre una versione coerente e scorrevole del
possente lavoro; alla fine decidemmo di lasciare
le cose come stavano, restituendo solo due
passaggi che erano stati tagliati nel corso delle
prove: la sezione B e il da capo nel duetto
finale e laria di Tolomeo dellAtto II.
Le arie e duetti del Julius Caesar sono scritte
in massima parte nella forma ABA da capo e
questa forma parte inerente dello stile
operistico handeliano. Mi parso quindi
preferibile tagliare arie intere piuttosto che
guastare il metodo tripartito di Handel. Di
conseguenza Cesare, Cleopatra e Cornelia
hanno ciascuno perso unaria, Sesto ne ha perse
tre e gli altri personaggi ne hanno perso due
ciascuno. Unintera scena, alla fine del secondo
atto, stata omessa e i recitativi, che portano
avanti la storia, sono stati scorciati.
Tutti quelli che sono stati impegnati nella
selezione della musica per questa produzione
sperano che i drammatici contrasti di Handel,
le sue sequenze di tonalit (nononstante certe
trasposizioni per adattarle ad alcuni degli
interpreti) e il flusso generale di questo grande
capolavoro non siano stati troppo pregiudicati
dai tagli che abbiano ritenuto necessario
apportare per le ragioni pratiche
summenzionate. Lornamentazione dei
ritornelli e le cadenze sono state affidate a
pi persone, inclusi gli stessi cantanti, come
venne fatto al tempo di Handel. Questi
abbellimenti sono stati scritti specificamente
per adattarsi alle capacit degli interpreti
dellallestimento dellEnglish National Opera
e per i personaggi che rappresentano. Non
sono un tentativo di ricostruire la maniera in
66 67
cui un Senesino o un Cuzzoni avrebbero
ornamentato le stesse arie.
Lo stesso Handel adatt la sua musica per
accordarla a cantanti diversi e in effetti
ricompose parti del Giulio Cesare quando il
ruolo di Sesto venne cambiato da soprano
(femminile) a tenore. Ci si chiede cosa avrebbe
fatto se si fosse trovato di fronte al brillante
registro acuto di Janet Baker, dopo avere
originariamente composto il ruolo di Cesare
per Senesino, un castrato a voce bassa con un
registro di poco superiore allottava. Avrebbe
ricomposto queste arie, splendidamente
caratterizzate e cos abbondantemente diverse,
oppure le avrebbe adattate per accordarsi ad un
diverso tipo di cantante? Purtroppo non
abbiamo qui Handel a consigliarci o ad
adattare il Julius Caesar per noi; di
conseguenza, abbiamo dovuto farci coraggio e
fare cambiamenti abbastanza notevoli nella
tessitura e nelle tonalit delle arie di Cesare,
particolarmente nei da capo.
Con lo stesso criterio le parti strumentali
dellorchestra sono state edite affinch i
membri della English National Opera
Orchestra potessero produrre il ritmo e
lespressione di unorchestra del Settecento pur
suonando su strumenti moderni. Un
violoncello barocco stato adoperato con il
cembalo per accompagnare i recitativi, ed una
viola da gamba e una tiorba per il seducente
accompagnamento in scena allaria di
Cleopatra nellAtto II. Altrimenti lorchestra
consiste interamente di strumenti moderni,
inclusi i flauti al posto dei flauti dolci (che si
amalgamano bene solo con altri strumenti
barocchi).
Le parte corali allinizio e alla fine, pi un
breve coro rivoluzionario fuori scena,
originariamente erano cantate da tutti i solisti
(anche se alla fine due dei personaggi sono
morti!). Infatti i loro nomi (Durastanti,
Robinson, Berenstadt, ecc.) appaiono nella
partitura originale invece delle voci. In ogni
modo stato ritenuto pi appropriato
rimpiazzare questo esiguo insieme vocale con
un vero coro, seppure in proporzioni ridotte.
La trama
La scena in Egitto, in ed intorno ad Alessandria.
Atto I
Cesare acclamato dalla folla egiziana.
Promette la pace dietro richiesta della moglie di
Pompeo, e del giovane figlio, Sesto. Il generale
di Tolomeo, Achilla, si avvicina e dichiara
lamicizia di Tolomeo a Cesare. Per dimostrarla
uno dei suoi seguaci si fa avanti con la testa di
Pompeo. I romani sono inorriditi e Cesare
furiosamente denuncia la crudelt di Tolomeo,
ordinando ad Achilla di annunciare al suo capo
il suo immediato arrivo. Nel suo dolore
Cornelia cerca di uccidersi, ma Sesto e Curio
glielo impediscono. Sesto, poi, lassicura che
vendicher la morte di suo padre.
Cleopatra ha avuto notizia delluccisione di
Pompeo e decide di farsi aiutare da Cesare a
confermare la sua autorit assoluta su Egitto.
Tolomeo la sorprende e deride la sua pretesa.
Cleopatra suggerisce che Tolomeo potrebbe
aver maggior successo con le donne che alla
guida del suo popolo. Achilla riferisce a
Tolomeo la reazione di Cesare al suo dono e
giura che distrugger Cesare purch Cornelia
sia sua. Tolomeo promette di vendicarsi su
Cesare per il suo insulto.
Cesare contempla lurna che contiene
le ceneri di Pompeo. Cleopatra gli si presenta
nei panni della sua dama di compagnia,
Lidia. Si appella a Cesare perch raddrizzi i torti
fatti a Cleopatra da suo fratello e Cesare,
sopraffatto dalla sua bellezza, acconsente di
buon grado. Mentre Cleopatra sta per partire
entra Cornelia che piange il consorte. Quando
Cleopatra si accorge che Cornelia e Sesto hanno
deciso di uccidere Tolomeo offre loro il suo
aiuto, pur mantenendo il suo travestimento.
Pregusta il successo e propone che il suo fido
consigliere, Nireno, li introduca nel palazzo.
Nonostante Tolomeo riceva Cesare in
grande splendore, luno diffida dellaltro e
Tolomeo progetta di uccidere Cesare quella
stessa notte. Cesare intuisce linganno.
Cornelia e Sesto vengono poi introdotti e Sesto
sfida a duello Tolomeo. In risposta Tolomeo fa
arrestare tutti e due, mandando Cornelia a
lavorare nei giardini dellharem come schiava
ed imprigionando Sesto nel palazzo. Achilla
dice a Cornelia che potrebbe renderle pi facile
la vita se lei lo amasse, ma Cornelia lo respinge
con sdegno. Madre e figlio vengono separati
luno dallaltra.
Atto II
Cleopatra ha preparato un trattenimento a
sorpresa per Cesare. Gli si presenta in un
giardino del palazzo come la Virt in trono
nel Parnasso, circondata dalle nove Muse, e
canta la famosa aria, Lamenting, complaining
of Caesars disdaining. Cesare incantato e
seguendo Nireno entra nelle sue stanze.
Cornelia riflette con tristezza sulla sua
disgrazia ma nulla potrebbe persuaderla ad
accettare le proposte di Achilla. Manda in furia
anche Tolomeo rifiutandosi di ascoltare le sue
proteste damore. In disperazione pronta a
gettarsi alle tigri che stanno a guardia del
serraglio. Improvvisamente entra Sesto che
69 68
sfuggito alla prigionia e Cornelia rinfrancata
dalla sua determinazione di liberarla. Sesto
giura di vendicarsi di Tolomeo.
Cleopatra attende Cesare ardentemente.
Pretende di dormire mentre egli entra e cos,
nascostamente, lo sente dichiarare il suo amore
per lei. Mentre egli parla di matrimonio,
Cleopatra si sveglia: Cesare viene colto di
sorpresa e la sua apparente riluttanza la
sconvolge. In quel momento Curio li
interrompe con la notizia che gli uomini di
Tolomeo stanno perlustrando il palazzo con
lintento di uccidere Cesare. Cleopatra li
sorprende rivelando la sua vera identit, ma
neppure lei in grado dintercettare gli accoliti
di suo fratello. Cesare asserisce il suo coraggio e
corre a fronteggiare i suoi nemici. Cleopatra
rimane in ascolto della mischia e prega per la
salvezza di Cesare.
Atto III
Cesare stato sopraffatto nella lotta ed
erroneamente si ritiene che sia affogato in
mare. Cleopatra ha dichiarto guerra a Tolomeo
ma stata sconfitta e catturata. Tolomeo
denuncia la sua innaturale condotta e la pone
in catene. In disperazione Cleopatra contempla
la sua improvvisa disgrazia nel famoso lamento,
Flow, my tears.
Cesare ricorda la sua sconfitta e pensa a
Cleopatra. Curio e Sesto si avvicinano ma
prima di vedere Cesare trovano Achilla che
mortalmente ferito. In punto di morte egli
confessa di avere ucciso Pompeo e di avere
tentato di assassinare Cesare. Racconta anche
di aver voltato giubba quando Tolomeo gli ha
rifiutato di portarsi via Cornelia promessagli in
premio. Achilla poi consegna a loro un anello
che dar loro il comando delle sue forze ed il
permesso di entrare nel palazzo per uccidere
Tolomeo. Cesare si avanza ed afferra lanello:
i tre romani sono felicemente riuniti e
decidono di andare a salvare Cornelia e
Cleopatra.
Cleopatra esorta i suoi servitori a fuggire
prima che suo fratello li faccia uccidere. Sente
il fragore delle armi e si prepara alla morte, ma
Cesare che entra con la spada in mano per
abbracciarla e portarla in salvo.
Dinanzi alle legioni e al popolo di
Alessandria radunati Cesare viene salutato
quale Imperatore di Roma. Sesto gli descrive
come ha ucciso Tolomeo e Cornelia offre a
Cesare le regie insegne dEgitto. Volgendosi a
Cleopatra Cesare lincorona Regina dEgitto ed
insieme, in mezzo al giubilo generale,essi
proclamano il loro eterno amore.
Traduzione: Marcella Barzetti
Janet Baker ha cantato con i pi insigni
direttori ed orchestre del mondo e inciso dischi
per tutte le principali compagnie. Nata nello
Yorkshire ha iniziato i suoi studi con Helene
Isepp e continuato poi con Meriel St. Clair.
Nel 1956 vinse il secondo premio nel concorso
Kathleen Ferrier e da allora ha acquistato fama
internazionale di artista di pari rango in campo
lirico, oratoriale e liederistico. Fra le sue
interpretazioni degne di nota si includono il
ruolo di Didone di Purcell a Aldeburgh con
lEnglish Opera Group nel 1962, quello di
protagonista ne The Rape of Lucretia di Britten
(1964 e 1970) e di Kate in Owen Wingrave.
Per la Royal Opera House ha cantato Vitellia
(La clemenza di Tito), e Alceste di Gluck; per
Glyndebourne Diana/Jupiter (La Calisto di
Cavalli), e Penelope (Il ritorno dUlisse in patria
di Monteverdi); per la Scottish Opera Didone
(Les troyens di Berlioz), e per la English
National Opera il suo repertorio si esteso da
Monteverdi al Werther di Massenet includendo
il Mary Stuart di Donizetti e Marguerite ne
The Damnation of Faust di Berlioz. La sua
interpretazione pi recente per questa
compagnia stata in unallestimento di Mary
Stuart. Ha ricevuto numerose onorificenze, fra
le quali il Premio Shakespeare di Amburgo nel
1971 e lauree honoris causa dalle universit di
Londra, Birmingham e Oxford. Nel 1970 ha
ricevuto il titolo di Commendatore (CBE) e
quello di Dame Janet Baker (DBE) nel 1976.
La sua cospicua discografia comprende
lAriodante e il Mary Stuart di Donizetti, Orfeo
ed Euridice di Gluck, Lied von der Erde di
Mahler e numerosi dischi di recitals.
Christopher Booth-Jones nato nel Somerset
ed ha studiato alla Royal Academy of Music.
Ha iniziato la sua carriera operistica cantando
nelle tournes della Welsh National Opera for
All ed in seguito per la Welsh National Opera,
Glyndebourne Festival e Glyndebourne
Touring Opera, Kent Opera e lEnglish Music
Theatre. I suoi ruoli per la English National
Opera hanno incluso Papageno, Dr. Falke,
Schaunard, Silvio, Pantalone (Lamore delle tre
melarance), Elviro (Xerxes), il Conte Almaviva
(Le nozze di Figaro) e Giorgio Germont. Ha
inoltre cantato per Opera North e per la Royal
Opera, trasmette regolarmente sui canali 2, 3 e
4 radio della BBC e per le stazioni radio
francesi e belghe. I suoi dischi includono
Carmen, Billy Budd, Pacific Overtures di
Sondheim e Tosca (per Chandos/Peter Moores
Foundation).
Sarah Walker ha cominciato la sua educazione
musicale studiando il violino al Royal College
of Music e poi canto con Vera Rosza, con la
70 71
quale si costruito un vasto repertorio che va
da Bach e Monteverdi alle musiche del
Novecento di compositori quali Berio, Boulez,
Cage, Henze, Ligeti, Copland e Ives. La sua
partecipazione in concerti universalmente
richiesta ed ha lavorato con Ozawa, Davis,
Mackerras, Solti, Norrington, Boulez,
Rozhdestvensky, Masur, Harnoncourt e Rattle.
Sarah Walker strettamente legata alla Royal
Opera House per la quale ha cantato i ruoli di
Baba the Turk (The Rakes Progress), Charlotte
(Werther), Mrs. Sedley (Peter Grimes) e in The
King Goes Forth to France di Sallinen, Taverner
di Maxwell Davies e Sansone di Handel. Le
molte parti che ha interpretato per la English
National Opera comprendono Maria Stuarda,
Charlotte, la Contessa (The Queen of Spades),
la parte di protagonista in Gloriana di Britten e
Katisha (The Mikado). Ha inoltre cantato a
Ginevra, San Francisco, Chicago, al
Metropolitan di New York e a Glyndebourne,
ed assai nota nel campo della musica vocale
da concerto. La sua discografia include Peter
Grimes, Romo et Juliette, Sogno di una notte di
mezza estate di Mendelssohn, La traviata e
Martha (Faust di Gounod per la
Della Jones, uno dei principali mezzosoprani
britannici, nata a Neath ed ha studiato al
Royal College of Music dove ha vinto
numerosi premi , fra i quali la borsa di studio
della Fondazione Kathleen Ferrier. Il suo vasto
repertorio va dalla musica antica a quella
contemporanea. Ha cantato con tutte le
maggiori compagnie liriche britanniche, e
allestero negli Stati Uniti, Russia, Giappone,
Canada e in tutta lEuropa. I suoi ruoli
includono quelli di protagonista in Ariodante,
La Cenerentola e Carmen, Rosina, Herodias
(Salome), Baba the Turk (The Rakes Progress),
Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), lOstessa (Boris
Godunov) e Aunt Hermance in Doctor Oxs
Experiment.
Della Jones svolge un intensa attivit in
televisione e radio, in Gran Bretagna e
allestero; i suoi numerosi dischi comprendono
Alcina, Lincoronazione di Poppea, Didone ed
Enea, La clemenza di Tito, Die Kathrin di
Korngold, The Barber of Seville (per la
Valerie Masterson nata a Birkenhead ed ha
studiato a Londra e a Milano. Ha cantato a
Salisburgo per una stagione e poi entrata a far
parte della compagnia DOyly Carte Opera
come soprano principale. Ha cantato con tutte
le maggiori compagnie liriche britanniche e
allestero la sua carriera si estesa su un vasto
raggio che include Aix-en-Provence, Nancy,
Montpelier, l Opera a Parigi, Toulouse,
Bordeaux, Ginevra, Rouen, Praga, Dublino,
Monaco di Baviera, Marsiglia, la Piccola Scala
a Milano, Barcellona, Chicago, Philadelphia,
Santiago, San Francisco, New York e Houston.
Il suo eclettico repertorio comprende le parti
principali in La traviata, Manon, Louise,
Mireille, Die lustige Witwe e Semele, Madame
Lidoine (Dialogues des carmlites), Micala,
Susanna e la Contessa Almaviva, Sophie e la
Marescialla, Mim, Marguerite (Faust),
Antonia (I racconti di Hoffmann) e The King
Goes Forth to France con la Royal Opera.
Valerie Masterson appare regolarmente in
televisione e nei programmi radiofonici; la sua
discografia include Elisabetta, regina
dInghilterra, Das Rheingold, Gtterdmmerung,
svariate operette di Gilbert e Sullivan e
La traviata.
James Bowman stato per quasi trentanni uno
dei pi insigni falsettisti del mondo. La sua
carriera abbraccia lopera, loratorio, la musica
contemporanea e il repertorio vocale da
camera. Ha cominciato a cantare nel coro della
cattedrale di Ely, passando poi a Oxford dove
ha fatto parte del coro della cappella. Ha
debuttato a Londra nel 1967, invitato da
Britten a cantare nel concerto dinaugurazione
della nuova Queen Elizabeth Hall. Subito
attivamente ricercato per ingaggi in campo
lirico e concertistico apparso al Sadlers Wells
(A Midsummer Nights Dream), Glyndebourne
(La Calisto), English National Opera (Semele) e
alla Royal Opera (Taverner). Allestero ha
cantato a Parigi, la Fenice, la Scala, Aix-en-
Provence, lOpera di Sydney e negli Stati
Uniti.
James Bowman ha inciso pi di 150 dischi,
fra i quali Death in Venice, A Midsummer
Nights Dream e Rejoice in the Lamb di Britten,
Orfeo ed Euridice, e lOrfeo di Monteverdi.
John Tomlinson nato nel Lancashire e si
laureato in ingegneria civile a Manchester
prima di vincere una borsa di studio per il
Royal Manchester College of Music. Ha
cantato regolarmente con la English National
Opera sin dal 1974 e con la Royal Opera dal
1976; ha cantato inoltre per Opera North,
Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Festival e
Touring Operas e per Kent Opera. Fra i suoi
primi ruoli figurano Figaro, Masetto,
Hunding, Hagen, Pimen e Re Enrico
(Lohengrin).
Ha cantato al Festival di Bayreuth sin dal
1988 nei ruoli di Wotan (Das Rheingold e
Die Walkre), il Viandante (Siegfried), Titurel e
Gurnemanz (Parsifal ) e Re Marco (Tristano e
Isotta). Altri ruoli includono Hans Sachs
72 73
(Die Meistersinger), Landgraf (Tannhuser),
Hagen (Gtterdmmerung) e Baron Ochs (Der
Rosenkavalier). La sua discografia include il
ciclo del Ring, La forza del destino e La traviata
di Verdi, brani dal Boris Godunov di
Mussorgsky e Der Rosenkavalier di Strauss (per
la Chandos/Peter Moores Foundation).
David James ha fatto parte del coro di
Magdalen College di Oxford (dove stato
iscritto come Choral Scholar) ed in seguito di
quello dellAbbazia di Westminster. Ha vinto il
primo premio del concorso di
s-Hertogenbosch in Olanda nel 1978 e da
allora ha avuto unattiva carriera internazionale
come solista in recitals e complessi da camera,
cantando con gruppi come The Sixteen, ed
interpretando ruoli operistici di rilievo per la
English National Opera, Handel Opera,
lopera di Ginevra e il Festival di Aldeburgh.
Membro fondatore del complesso Hilliard
Ensemble, David James d un centinaio di
concerti allanno con questo gruppo,
eseguendo musiche medievali, del
Rinascimento e contemporanee. Ha cantato
ovunque in qualit di solista specializzandosi
nelle musiche barocche e contemporanee.
I suoi dischi comprendono La passione secondo
Giovanni e La passione secondo Matteo di Bach,
il Messia di Handel e Passio di Prt.
Sir Charles Mackerras nato nel 1925 negli
Stati Uniti da genitori australiani ed ha
studiato a Sydney e a Praga. In opera ha
debuttato come direttore al Sadlers Wells
Theatre dove diresse la sensazionale prima
esecuzione britannica della Kta Kabanov di
Jancek, rappresentazione che inser Jancek
nel corrente repertorio britannico. stato
direttore stabile dell opera di Amburgo dal
1966 al 1969 e direttore artistico del Sadlers
Wells (poi English National Opera) dal 1970 al
1977 e della Welsh National Opera dal 1987 al
1992 per la quale diresse, fra laltro, di nuovo
Jancek con grande successo. Lallestimento e la
registrazione di Osud vennero sponsorizzati
dalla Peter Moores Foundation cos come il
disco de La volpe astuta. Sir Charles Mackerras
direttore ad honoris della Scottish Chamber
Orchestra, direttore emeritus della Welsh
National Opera, direttore principali della San
Francisco Opera e dalla stagione 1998/99
direttore artistico dellOrchestra of St. Lukes
di New York.
Sir Charles Mackerras ha intrapreso estese
ricerche nella pratica esecutiva della musica
del Settecento e Ottocento esercitando
profonda influenza nellinterpretazione dei
nostri giorni. La sua vasta discografia include
un assai premiato ciclo di opere di Jancek con
lOrchestra Filarmonica di Vienna, Gloriana di
Britten (che ha vinto un premio Gramophone)
e con la English National Opera il Mary Stuart
di Donizetti e La traviata.
Sir Charles Mackerras ha ricevuto
lonorificenza di Commendatore (CBE) nel
1974 e il titolo di Sir per la sua attivit di
musicista nel 1979. Gli stata inoltre conferita
la medaglia al merito della Repubblica Ceca ed
stato nominato Companion of the Order in
Australia.
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Valerie Masterson as Cleopatra and
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Caesar and the Muses
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76 77
COMPACT DISC ONE
Overture
Act I
Scene 1
Open country in Egypt, with an ancient bridge
over a branch of the Nile
(Julius Caesar and Curio march over the bridge
with their forces.)
Chorus
Caesar! Caesar! Egypt acclaims thee.
Glorious be thy name on this great day!
Vale and mountain sing thy praises:
Fear and grief have passed away.
Aria
Caesar
Kneel in tribute, fair land of Egypt:
Deck with palm-leaves your masters way.
Recitative
Curio, Caesar has come, has seen, has conquered,
and if Pompey, defeated, expects that Ptolemy,
the King of Egypt, will help restore his fortune,
he is deceived.
(Enter Cornelia and Sextus.)
Cornelia
My lord, Rome now owns her master. Even the
gods divide with you their empire. They have
decreed that of all the worlds dominions Jove
shall rule the skies, Caesar the earth.
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3
2
1
Caesar
What would you ask of Caesar, fair wife of
vanquished Pompey, noble Cornelia?
Cornelia
Let warfare now cease!
Sextus
Hang up your trophies in the temple, sheathe
your sword, disband all your legions!
Caesar
He conquers twice, who shows mercy to the
conquered. Send Pompey hither. Let him
embrace me; our hatred, our war shall be
forgotten; and in defeat Pompey shall conquer
his conqueror.
(Enter Achillas, leading a band of Egyptians
carrying covered basins of gold.)
Achillas
Great Caesar! My master Ptolemy offers you his
kingdom for your repose and your enjoyment,
and so that the world may know you are its
master, in token of his friendship and his
allegiance King Ptolemy lays at your feet as a
foundation for your throne the haughty head of
Pompey your enemy.
(One of the Egyptians uncovers a charger, on which
stands the severed head of Pompey.)
Caesar
What gift is this?
Sextus
Oh heavens, what horror!
Cornelia
Alas, what anguish! O my husband!
(She swoons.)
Sextus
Pompey, my father! Ah wretched mother!
Oh heavens!
Caesar
We shall give him a burial befitting his greatness,
both as a warrior and as a Roman.
(Caesar weeps.)
Achillas
My master
Caesar
And you, tempt not my wrath! Leave us.
Achillas
Caesar, restrain your anger!
Caesar
Go! I shall reach your masters palace tonight at
sunset! Let him beware my coming.
(Exeunt Achillas and Egyptians.)
Aria
Caesar
Tyrant, avoid my sight,
Monster compact of spite,
Who rules by fear and force!
None can deserve a throne
Who worships hate alone,
Whose heart knows no remorse!
da capo
5
(Exit Caesar. Cornelia revives.)
Recitative
Sextus
Mother!
Curio
Cornelia!
Cornelia
Oh heavens! Must I still live? Let me silence the
heart in my breast with one merciful stroke.
(Curio prevents her from snatching Sextuss sword in
order to kill herself.)
Curio
Never! This sword was not forged to be stained
with innocent blood!
(Exit Curio.)
Sextus
Mother!
Cornelia
Sextus, my dearest!
Sextus
What shall we do, surrounded by our enemies,
you without a husband, I without a father?
Aria
Cornelia
Grief and woe all hope deny me;
Death would free me from my sorrow,
Yet alas, I may not die.
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6
78 79
Though I mourn, though sorrow try me,
Though I weary of complaining,
Welcome Death will neer draw nigh.
da capo
(Exit.)
Recitative
Sextus
The time for tears is over; henceforth my only
thought shall be to avenge my father: to summon
all my fury and exact a fitting vengeance, to visit
on the tyrant a heros murder.
Aria
Come rouse yourselves to vengeance,
Furies, with hatred fire me,
That while he yet draws breath
No fear affright me!
Father, your spirit stays me;
You comfort and inspire me
And tell me: Avenge my death,
Sextus! Requite me!
da capo
(Exit.)
Scene 2
A room in the palace
(Cleopatra, attended by Egyptian maidens)
Recitative
Cleopatra
You shall be Queen, Cleopatra, and crowding
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8
round your throne your subjects will acclaim
you. Arab and Syrian, all shall adore the crown
upon your brow. Come, my friends, whoeer
among you has the will and the courage to help
me gain a throne, let them swear on my right
hand eternal allegiance.
(Enter Nirenus.)
Nirenus
My Queen, I bring unhappy tidings.
Cleopatra
What tidings? Speak out!
Nirenus
King Ptolemy has beheaded the vanquished
Pompey and sent the severed head to conquering
Caesar.
Cleopatra
So! Pray leave me, my friends.
(Exeunt maidens.)
Nirenus, stay. I have resolved to visit this mighty
Caesar in his quarters, and you, Nirenus, shall
attend me as my escort. Caesar will make me
welcome, and Ptolemy will lose his kingdom.
He is my younger brother. I am the lawful
Queen of Egypt.
(Enter Ptolemy.)
Ptolemy
You, lawful Queen of Egypt, proud Cleopatra,
my sister?
Cleopatra
I demand what is mine. The crown of Pharaoh
descends to me by right, and I claim my
inheritance. No boyish youth is fit to run this
kingdom! Stay in your harem, and I will rule
over Egypt.
Aria
Cleopatra
Yet why despair? Who knows?
Though kingdom pass you by,
Youll gain a maidens heart.
Pursue some blushing rose,
And let her roguish eye
Console a lovers smart.
da capo
(Exit with Nirenus. Enter Achillas.)
Recitative
Achillas
Pharaoh, my King!
Ptolemy
Achillas! I trust Caesar welcomed the gift that we
sent him?
Achillas
He refused it.
Ptolemy
Refused it?
Achillas
He said that you were hasty and ill advised.
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Ptolemy
A Roman dares thus insult me?
Achillas
I have a plan, Sire, to teach him better manners.
I here make promise that I will lay his lifeless
body at your feet, provided that you grant me, as
my reward, the hand of Pompeys widow.
Ptolemy
So be it, your timely counsel shall guide my
actions. Go now, make all ready, then return
here.
(Exit Achillas.)
Presumptuous Caesar shall die his haughty
head shall lie beneath my feet. Rome then, which
long he has oppressed, shall regain her freedom.
Caesar living may destroy me: Caesar dead shall
secure my throne for ever!
Aria
Upstart, barbarian and traitor!
What folly could be greater
Than to alarm a king
And rouse my anger?
He dies that would oppose me,
Dies ere he overthrows me,
While yet his hungry heart
Foresees no danger.
da capo
13
80 81
Scene 3
Caesars camp. An urn containing the ashes of
Pompey the Great, standing above a high heap of
trophies
(Enter Caesar.)
Recitative
Caesar
Spirit of mighty Pompey, who over these poor
ashes all unseen still dost hover, your trophies are
but a shadow of your past triumphs, as you
yourself are. To this empty conclusion mans
glory shrivels. Yesterday his stride spanned a
world of warring empires; today, consumed to
ashes, an urn confines him. Even so for all men,
alas, our beginning is clay, our ending mere dust.
Ah, life is wretched! How frail is mans existence!
Born from a breath, a breath of air destroys him.
(Curio enters.)
Curio
A nobly born young maiden here at hand asks
audience with Caesar.
Caesar
Let her approach.
(Enter Cleopatra in disguise and Nirenus with
escort.)
Cleopatra
Along with my companion, I serve Cleopatra.
My name is Lydia: I was born here in Egypt of
high and noble lineage, but Ptolemy the usurper
has cruelly robbed me of my fortune.
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Caesar (aside)
How can so much beauty combine in one fair
face?
(to Cleopatra)
Is King Ptolemy such a tyrant?
Cleopatra (kneeling)
I kneel here before you and before Rome too;
grieving, afflicted and in tears, I ask you for
justice.
Caesar (aside)
Ah Gods! Who could resist her?
(He raises up Cleopatra.)
Most unfortunate lady, in but a moment I go to
Pharaohs palace. This very night your wrongs
shall be righted.
Cleopatra
My lord, your grace and kindness bind me to
your service!
Caesar
Your beauty binds me to yours.
(Exit.)
Nirenus
Cleopatra, you have conquered, and the power of
your beauty has made Caesar himself your
willing servant. Whatever you desire, Caesar will
grant it. But see, a woman in great anguish, with
weary footsteps and woe in every feature, walks
here towards us.
Cleopatra
I can see from her bearing this is a noble woman.
Let us watch from a distance to learn why she is
grieving.
(They retire. Enter Cornelia.)
Aria
Cornelia
Here within thee, O friendly marble,
Lies enshrined my joy, my treasure.
Recitative
Cornelia
Alas! Reviled and neglected, must I remain here
for ever? Ah no, among these weapons a dagger
I shall find to suit my purpose. Now let me seek
out Ptolemy, there, in his palace
(Cornelia has no sooner taken a dagger from the pile
of trophies, than Sextus enters.)
Sextus
Stay! What would you do?
Cornelia
Leave me to my purpose! I will seek my revenge
on the black-hearted tyrant who murdered your
father.
Sextus
That is a duty which falls to me alone!
(Sextus takes the dagger from Cornelia.)
Cornelia
No, my son, Im not afraid: I will come with you.
Sextus
Wait, consider, he is well guarded: who will
assist us?
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(Cleopatra enters impetuously.)
Cleopatra
Cleopatra!
Nirenus
Remember your disguise.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra and Lydia, we both wish him dead.
The King has wronged me! Hes a usurper and
a tyrant. I was given the name of Lydia and serve
Queen Cleopatra. If by virtue of your courage
she gains the throne, rewards await you, and
I shall play my part.
Cornelia
Who will take us before the King?
Cleopatra
Nirenus, Cleopatras friend and faithful servant.
His counsel will guide you to sure success.
(Exeunt Cornelia, Sextus and Nirenus.)
Let my brother beware! Can he hope to escape
me when I unleash against him the anger of a
Caesar and the fury of Pompeys widow and
valiant son? Let him look to his safety, if hed rule
here alone as King of Egypt!
Aria
O star of my desire,
Fond hope, shine on to guide me!
So bright, so fierce your fire,
My heart with joy doth glow.
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My constant faith enduring
To sure success will lead me.
The power of Loves alluring
The days to come will show.
da capo
Scene 4
A hall in the palace of the Ptolemies
(Caesar, attended by Romans; Ptolemy and Achillas,
attended by Egyptians)
Recitative
Ptolemy
Caesar! A generous destiny has placed a
thousand sceptres in your all-conquering hand.
Caesar
Your splendour, illustrious Ptolemy, leaves me
amazed. In truth I cannot tell which luminary
sheds the brighter radiance: the sun on high or
royal Ptolemy here below. Be warned though;
one evil deed beclouds all the world in shadow.
Achillas (aside to Ptolemy)
The upstart dares insult you to your face!
Ptolemy
Pray allow these my guards to act as your escort to
your apartments, where my servants await you.
(aside)
Villain, this very night I shall have him at my
mercy.
Caesar (aside)
None but a fool would trust him for a moment.
18
Aria
Caesar
How silently, how slyly,
When once the scent is taken,
The huntsman tracks the spoor!
A traitor shrewd and wily,
Neer lets his prey awaken
Unless the snare be sure.
da capo
(Exit. Cornelia and Sextus enter.)
Recitative
Achillas
Sire, with Sextus her son, the lady Cornelia.
Cornelia
You have murdered the mighty Pompey, who
long years since, with his own hand, placed the
crown of Egypt on your royal fathers brow. Not
only was he a Roman, he was your guest.
Sextus
Villain! I challenge you to meet me in single
combat!
Ptolemy
Enough! Take this foolish boy, confine him in the
palace. And her, take her off to the gardens, there
as a slave to labour with the menials,
(aside to Achillas)
but not for long. If she has won your heart,
why then you shall have her.
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Achillas
How happy you make me!
(Exit Ptolemy.)
Cornelia, your lovely eyes have captured my
heart. When in good time you look on me with
favour, why then we shall be married, and with
your son you shall regain your freedom.
Cornelia
Silence! I, a Roman, wife to vile Egyptian?
Sextus
She, marry you? Ah no! Sooner shall death
Achillas
Guards, here. The King has ordered that he shall
be kept in confinement. Take him into the
palace.
Cornelia
Ah, do not part us. Let me go with him, my son,
my dearest Sextus.
Achillas
You must remain here. Think well, you have no
hope of mercy except through me, but in turn
you must show mercy to one who loves you.
Aria
Neer reject a tender lover,
Flaming eyes forget your fire.
No! No!
But be kind, youll soon discover,
Love returned begets desire.
da capo
21
(As the guards try to lead Sextus away, Cornelia takes
him by the arm, and prevents them from doing so.)
Recitative
Sextus
Mother!
Cornelia
My dearest!
Sextus
Farewell!
Cornelia
Villains, barbarous villains! Where do you mean
to take him? Wretches! Ah stay! I beg you grant
me a moment, that we may take a last embrace.
Ah, Sextus!
Duet
Cornelia
Condemned to grieve and cry,
My love, my consolation
Forever I shall mourn.
Sextus
Condemned to weep and sigh,
My love, my consolation
Forever I shall mourn.
Cornelia and Sextus
How fate our love betrays,
Serene and golden days,
No more will you return!
da capo
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84 85
COMPACT DISC TWO
ACT II
Scene 1
A delightful grove of cedars with a prospect of
Mount Parnassus which will later open to reveal the
Kingdom of Virtue
(Enter Cleopatra and Nirenus.)
Cleopatra
Have you done as I ordered, faithful Nirenus?
Nirenus
Your commands are fulfilled.
Cleopatra
And has Caesar arrived?
Nirenus
He is within, but soon he will be coming to look
for Lydia.
Cleopatra
But tell me, is all ready for the scene that we have
planned?
Nirenus
Behind the curtain your magic palace blazes with
light. But what is your intention?
Cleopatra
You must wait here for Caesar to arrive. When he
has seen our entertainment youll show him the
way to my apartments and you will say that
before the day is ended Lydia will come to tell
great Caesar what wrongs the unjust Ptolemy has
done her.
1
(Exit Cleopatra. Enter Caesar)
Caesar
Where is she, Nirenus? You said she would be
waiting.
Nirenus
The Lady Lydia will shortly attend you, my lord.
(The sound of a delightful symphony of many
instruments is heard.)
Caesar
Listen!
Nirenus
What is this?
Caesar
Heavens! What ravishing music descends from
the spheres to steal away my soul!
(Here Parnassus opens to reveal Virtue enthroned,
attended by the nine Muses.)
Caesar
Eyes, what have you seen? Since when, in such
glorious radiance, have the Gods walked this earth?
Aria
Cleopatra
Lamenting, complaining
Of Caesars disdaining,
No comfort obtaining,
I languish and die.
Yet cannot give over,
My grief to discover,
For never was lover
So wretched as I.
2
Recitative
Caesar
Great Jove in his heaven has no melody to equal
such peerless singing.
Aria
Cleopatra
Lamenting, complaining
Of Caesars disdaining,
No comfort obtaining,
I languish and die.
Recitative
Caesar
Fly then, fly, O my heart, towards that sweet
enchantment. How the gods in heaven must
envy me my fortune!
(As Caesar runs towards Cleopatra, Parnassus
closes.)
Nirenus
My Lord, did you hear her? What think you of
the Lady Lydia?
Caesar
She has, indeed, the voice of a Goddess! Lead me
to her apartments, for I must see her; the thought
of her makes sweet my lonely existence.
Aria
Fleet oer flowery meadow gliding
Flies the lark in silence winging:
Then, in hiding,
How he charms us with his art!
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3
Ah, to hear fair Lydia singing!
Ear and eye, alike enraptured,
Melt with longing!
Swiftly captured
Is every heart.
da capo
Scene 2
The garden of the Seraglio, surrounded by an
enclosure where wild beasts are kept
Aria
Cornelia
Still despairing, still lamenting,
All my joy is fled for ever.
(Achillas enters.)
Recitative
Achillas
Lady, forget your grieving. Though your fate
now seems harsh, you soon could change it.
Cornelia
My fate is despair, anguish my destiny.
Achillas
If you could find it in your heart to accept what
I offer, I could save you and your son from all
your misery.
Cornelia
No more; never use such words to me again.
(As Cornelia escapes, she meets Ptolemy, who takes
her hand.)
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Ptolemy
Lady, pray why so angry?
Cornelia
I beg you, leave me alone.
Achillas
Master, I entered here to try to soften the hard
heart of her I love.
Ptolemy
It would seem you have failed.
Achillas
She rejects me still; my heart is broken.
Ptolemy
Cornelia, you are too proud.
(He takes Achillas to one side.)
Meanwhile, Caesar lives?
Achillas
My Lord, this very night his body will lie at your
feet; insult avenged, you will rule in Egypt for
ever.
Ptolemy
Go then, see it done; remember, the fair Cornelia
is your reward.
(Exit Achillas.)
Fair one, how can you hate him whom your
charms have enslaved?
Cornelia
He is a villain, unworthy of womans love.
Ptolemy
Can such a lovely face offer no hope of comfort?
With all your beauty
Cornelia
Leave me! Has your lust deprived you of reason?
Am I not Cornelia? Am I not a Roman?
Ptolemy
Dare you refuse a King? Vain, foolish woman.
I shall use force, since prayers cannot move you.
If I cannot make you love me, Ill teach you to
fear me.
Aria
Ptolemy
Deep within my bosom burning,
Furious flames of hatred play.
Each rejection, every spurning,
Ill repay
With bitter smart.
da capo
(Exit.)
Recitative
Cornelia
So why delay? Now that he has left, one course
alone remains to save my honour; beyond these
high walls, guarding the seraglio, wild creatures
lie in wait. I will throw myself down; I am not
afraid to die. What should I live for? Farewell
great Rome, farewell dear Sextus! O Death!
Come swiftly!
(Enter Sextus.)
8
7
Sextus
Mother stay! What would you do?
Cornelia
What voice called me back?
Sextus
Mother!
Cornelia
Mother? My son? Sextus! Sextus, my dearest!
But how did you escape?
Sextus
I could not leave you in this palace of lust. With
Nirenus to guide me I soon found an entrance.
Cornelia
If the guards find you here, they will put you
to death.
Sextus
When sacred vengeance calls me, why should
I fear to die? One of us must perish, either Sextus
or Ptolemy.
Aria
Cornelia
Sigh no more, forget lamenting!
Now the gods, at last relenting,
Turn in anger on the tyrant,
Visit him with fire avenging.
Mariners, when storms assail them,
Neer abandon hope of haven:
Kindly Neptune will not fail them,
Joys reward for fear exchanging.
da capo
9
Recitative
Sextus
He is no son who seeks not full revenge for the
murder of his father. So, on to retribution! Justice
strengthen my arm; though I myself may die,
first dies the tyrant!
Aria
Sextus
Wounded, the serpent neer reposes,
Ere his venom spread its anguish
Through the body of his foe.
My right arm shall never languish
Till my sword has proved its valour:
On my dagger blood will flow.
da capo
Scene 3
A delightful chamber
Recitative
Cleopatra
Soon he will come to find me, the idol of my
heart, Caesar, beloved! He knows that Lydia
awaits him and that Lydia adores him; I must
discover if he loves me in return. He shall find
me here asleep, and sleeping by my side, with his
eyes closed like mine, he will find Cupid!
Aria
Venus, fair lady,
One favour send me:
13
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89 88
I pray you lend me
All charming graces
That crown Cupids art!
Can you deny me?
Ah, never fly me,
Till Ive enchanted
His kingly heart!
da capo
(As Caesar enters, Cleopatra pretends to be asleep.)
Recitative
Caesar
Ah, gods! What do I see? My love lies here
sleeping? Charming Lydia, I adore you. Ah, if
you gained an inkling, if one spark were to touch
you, from the raging fire burning within me, you
would know that one day the changes of fortune
might place you at my side, my wife, perhaps my
empress.
Cleopatra
Your wife? I shall love you till I die.
Caesar
My dear!
Cleopatra
Have I displeased you?
Caesar
You are very young, a servant here in the palace.
You know not what you say.
Cleopatra
I see that my words have angered you. You like
14
me less when Im awake. Since Id rather you
loved me, Ill go to sleep again.
(Enter Curio, sword in hand.)
Curio
Caesar, you are betrayed.
Caesar (drawing his sword)
Betrayed?
Curio
I had gone to your rooms, my lord, when I heard
voices. There was a shouted command: Find
Caesar and kill him. When I discovered you had
come here, I came straightway to warn you.
Caesar
It is true then that Egypt is governed by
murderers? Lady, remain here; we must part till
these traitors are defeated.
Cleopatra
Stay my lord! Do not go, or I shall die!
Caesar
Leave me, Lydia!
Cleopatra
Not Lydia! I shall fly to the battle at your side. In
the fiercest of the fight you will find Cleopatra!
Caesar
Cleopatra?
Cleopatra
Caesar, look with those dear eyes that I adore,
and be not so amazed, beloved; I am Cleopatra,
not Lydia as you thought me.
Caesar
You, Cleopatra? I can hardly believe it.
(aside)
Poor, foolish heart, what have you done? Lydia is
Cleopatra? And you have spurned her? Ye gods!
Cleopatra
Caesar, fly while you may! The murderers are
coming hard at our heels. Fly before they find you!
Caesar
So! Not even Cleopatra, not even the Queen, can
save me from these villains.
Cleopatra
I cannot shield you. These are desperate men,
suborned by Ptolemy.
Caesar
Then let them try me! Im ready; Caesar has
never yet refused a battle.
Aria
In anger and fury
Ill turn on the foe
The strength of my arm.
(Exit Caesar and Curio.)
Chorus (offstage)
Kill him, Caesar, kill him! Kill him! Kill him!
Recitative
Cleopatra
They will kill him. Oh heavens! Ah me, I too
shall die! Cowardly woman, what have you said?
Have courage! If Caesar comes to harm,
16
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Cleopatra shall avenge him. To the ends of the
earth I shall pursue them. But now. O gods above
who rule the heavens, be at hand to defend him!
My dear! My only love, my hope, my comfort!
Aria
Hear my prayer, O gods, relenting,
Spare my love, or I shall die.
Grant relief to all my torments
Or my soul to death shall fly.
COMPACT DISC THREE
Act III
Scene 1
An anchorage near Alexandria
Symphony
(To the sound of war-like symphony there follows the
battle between the forces of Cleopatra and Ptolemy,
in which the latter are victorious and Achillas
mortally wounded; after the Symphony, enter
Ptolemy, with Cleopatra as his prisoner.)
Recitative
Ptolemy
So! You are beaten! At the first sight of my
all-conquering sword the Romans scatter.
Cleopatra
It was not Ptolemy who defeated me. I am
betrayed by blind Fortune, who unjustly protects
you, without honour, without reason, and
without justice.
2
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Ptolemy
Enough! I am your master, and from henceforth
you defy me at your peril!
(to the guards)
Place the traitress in fetters.
Cleopatra
Cruel brother! The Gods will punish your
tyrannies.
Ptolemy
Away! I here disown you! No more are you my
sister. Take her off to the prison, where she shall
atone for each crime and each insult, and there,
beneath my throne, shell beg for mercy.
Aria
I shall tame your pride unbending,
Rack and scourge you with pain unending:
Youll learn to fear me when I frown.
Like an eagle you would fly
To snatch the sun from heavens eye:
But Ill clip your wings and bring you down.
da capo
(Exit Ptolemy. Cleopatra, alone with her guards)
Recitative
Cleopatra
And so in one brief hour all my glory is gone?
Ah, cruel Fortune! Caesar, my only love, he too
has perished. Cornelia and Sextus are also
captive, and cannot hope to assist me. Ah,
heaven! No comfort, no hope is left me; my life
is ended.
4
3
Aria
Flow, my tears, cease not your grieving;
Though my sorrow be past relieving,
While I breathe still let me mourn.
I shall haunt him, sleeping, waking,
As a spectre my vengeance taking,
Till with terror his heart is torn.
da capo
(Exit Cleopatra. Enter Caesar, from the other side
with Curio, who goes off to spy out the land.)
Recitative
Caesar
From the perils of the ocean I am cast ashore in
safety. The Gods still protect me. The time has
not yet come for the hand of fate to end my
wretched life. Where can I turn? What friend
have I to help me? What is left of my army, my
invincible legions, which so often in the past
have brought me victory? Vanquished, and alone
in this desert, must the master of an empire
defenceless wander?
Aria
Zephyrs!
Zephyrs, come to mine aid!
Relieve my desolation!
Inspire with consolation
My heart forlorn!
Tell me,
Tell me of her, my love!
Say that no fear will harm my dearest!
7
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Recitative
But look! All around I see scattered weapons
and bodies that stain the sand with blood!
We fought in vain, then, and all is lost.
da capo
(Enter Sextus and Nirenus.)
Recitative
Sextus
Nirenus, the battle is fought and lost. Ptolemy
has conquered; we come too late.
Achillas (mortally wounded)
Cruel fortune, I am dying!
Sextus
A cry: who calls us?
Achillas
Is there no justice in heaven?
Caesar
Who are these? Two warriors, another lying
wounded. Who can they be? Let me hear further.
(He retires to one side.)
Curio
Achillas, have courage!
Achillas
I know not who you are, although you treat me
as a friend and call me by my name. But ah! if by
chance kind fate should guide your footsteps so
that one day you meet with the Lady Cornelia,
great Pompeys widow, tell her, that same
8
Achillas, who brought about her noble husbands
death and who, led on by hopes of marrying her,
conspired to murder Caesar, spurned at the last
by him he sought to serve, he turned his sword
on King Ptolemy, fought against the tyrant, but
fought in vain, and perished. Take this ring from
my finger. In a cave beyond this hill a hundred
faithful warriors still await my orders. Show them
this and theyll obey you. At your command
theyll lead you to the palace, where they know a
secret entrance, and once inside you may rescue
Cornelia, then kill the King!
(He gives the ring to Sextus.)
Though I die first, hell follow.
(He dies.)
Caesar (taking the ring)
Give that ring to me.
Sextus
Ah gods!
Caesar
Who is this?
Sextus
My lord!
Caesar
You? Sextus?
Sextus
You are alive, Caesar, and unharmed. We all
thought you dead!
92 93
Caesar
Not so! I swam to the shore and thus escaped.
But now hes dead his villainy can help us.
(to Curio)
Seek out his men: theyll lead us to the palace.
(to Sextus)
You and Nirenus follow. If now at last we cannot
rescue your mother and Cleopatra, we are not
Romans.
Aria
See in spate the high cataract storming:
All in terror must fly from its path.
So in terror flies the foe before me,
When I brandish this sword in my wrath.
da capo
Scene 2
Cleopatras apartments
(Cleopatra with guards, surrounded by her
handmaidens, who are weeping)
Recitative
Cleopatra
Ladies, my faithful servants, pray weep no
longer; the time for tears is over. You must not
stay here. My cruel, treacherous brother, who has
usurped my kingdom, will take me from you;
from me he takes my life.
(The clash of weapons is heard within.)
The sound of swords they are coming. Ah yes,
he takes me from you! And so, proud Cleopatra,
now die! Die bravely
10
9
Caesar
At last I find you! You are safe, my dearest love!
Cleopatra
Caesar! It cannot be!
Caesar
Dearest! At last I hold you! I feared I came too
late. Your brother meant to murder you.
Cleopatra
Tell me, how were you rescued?
Caesar
There will soon be time to tell you the story of
my adventures. Meanwhile you are free. Go with
my men to the harbour, where Curio is rallying
our scattered troops, and wait for me there. Mars
calls me to battle. In your name I must conquer
the whole of Egypt; not only Egypt, a world is
waiting to be won, waiting for the man who
dares accept its challenge.
(Exit, with his soldiers.)
Aria
Cleopatra
Stormy winds my ship had shaken:
Safe to harbour now Im sailing,
To the crown of all desire.
So my heart by grief oertaken,
Safe enfolded now in love unfailing,
May at last to joy aspire.
da capo
11
Scene 3
The harbour of Alexandria
Symphony
(Caesar, Cleopatra, attended by Egyptians with
trumpets and drums; after the Symphony, enter
Curio and Nirenus; and later Sextus and Cornelia,
with a page carrying Ptolemys sceptre and crown.)
Recitative
Nirenus (addressing Caesar)
Here, Curio and your legions, there, all Egypt
assembled: the multitude acclaims you, Caesar,
with one accord, Emperor of Rome, great lord of
all the universe!
Caesar
Your faithful service shall not go unrewarded,
worthy Nirenus. Curio, your skill and your
valour place all Rome in your debt.
(Cornelia and Sextus kneel.)
Cornelia and Sextus?
Sextus
My lord, kneeling before you, you see the son of
Cornelia and Pompey. I, at last, with my sword,
have avenged my fathers death on the head of his
murderer, and killed in single combat Ptolemy of
Egypt.
Caesar
A mighty deed in one so young.
Cornelia
My son has indeed slaughtered the tyrant who
threatened my honour, perhaps even my life.
13
12
Caesar
It is fitting that a son avenge his fathers death.
Rise, Lord Sextus, and as a friend let me embrace
you.
Sextus
I swear my lord to serve you in true allegiance.
Cornelia
We have brought to great Caesar the sceptre and
the crown of the infamous Ptolemy.
(She gives the crown and sceptre to Caesar.)
Caesar
My lovely Cleopatra, the diadem of the Pharaohs
is yours by right. Soon I will place it on your
brow; henceforth as Queen of Egypt you shall
rule this great kingdom in honour and justice.
Cleopatra (kneeling)
Caesar, to you alone I owe this great kingdom.
And so as Queen of Egypt I kneel in homage to
the Emperor of the Romans.
Caesar (raising her)
It is I who should kneel, my love, my dearest!
Duet
Cleopatra
Dearest!
Caesar
Fairest!
Cleopatra and Caesar
My love, forever mine,
Shine on, forever shine,
In grace and beauty.
14
94 95
May peace and joy depart,
If eer my loving heart
Forget her duty.
da capo
Recitative
Caesar
Long, long may Egypt continue to enjoy her
new-found liberty. Throughout the world, from
one end unto the other, may the glorious name
of Rome spread peace and justice.
Ensemble
Chorus
Proclaim we all great Caesars glory:
Let all unite in love and joy!
Oerthrown is Pharaohs cruel fury,
And peace eternal we enjoy.
Duet
Caesar and Cleopatra
A vow I give you,
My heart shall never leave you,
17
16
15
If you
Are true
As ever I shall prove.
No fear
Come near
To harm you
Or alarm you,
Delight
Shall still requite
Our tender love.
da capo
Ensemble
Chorus
Proclaim we all great Caesars glory:
Let all unite in love and joy!
Oerthrown is Pharaohs cruel fury,
And peace eternal we enjoy.
Reprinted by permission of Oxford University Press
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Valerie Masterson Della Jones Sarah Walker
James Bowman
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John Tomlinson
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Booklet photos of the ENO production of Julius Caesar by Clive Barda/Performing Arts Library
Harpsichord prepared and maintained by Malcolm Russell
Producer John Fraser
Engineer Mark Vigars
Recording venue Abbey Road Studios, London; 17 August 1984
Front cover Photo of Dame Janet Baker as Julius Caesar by Clive Barda/Performing Arts Library, from the
English National Opera Production
Back cover Photo of Sir Charles Mackerras by Zoe Dominic
Design D.M. Cassidy
Booklet typeset by Dave Partridge
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Copyright Sir Charles Mackerras
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George Frideric Handel (16851759)
Julius Caesar
Libretto by Nicola Haym
Edition prepared by Noel Davies and Sir Charles Mackerras
Julius Caesar ..............................................................................Dame Janet Baker mezzo-soprano
Curio ........................................................................................Christopher Booth-Jones baritone
Cornelia..............................................................................................Sarah Walker mezzo-soprano
Sextus ....................................................................................................Della Jones mezzo-soprano
Cleopatra ..............................................................................................Valerie Masterson soprano
Ptolemy ..............................................................................................James Bowman countertenor
Achillas ..........................................................................................................John Tomlinson bass
Nirenus ..................................................................................................David James countertenor
English National Opera Orchestra and Chorus
DDD
COMPACT DISC ONE
TT 75:26
COMPACT DISC THREE
TT 53:50
COMPACT DISC TWO
TT 54:40
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