George Frideric Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto, produced by New Trinity Baroque, Grimeborn Opera Festival, Arcola Theatre, London E8 3DL ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review byClare Colvin

Photo credit: Charlie Flint

George Frideric Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto

produced by New Trinity Baroque

Grimeborn Opera Festival, Arcola Theatre, London E8 3DL

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review byClare Colvin

“Fine baroque singing in need of better presentation.”

New Trinity Baroque is an ensemble and orchestra specialising in baroque music played on period instruments which continues to build a solid reputation for its orchestra of ten or more musicians, directed from the harpsichord by Artistic Director Predrag Gosta.  It was founded in 1998 in London with the purpose of cultivating a new generation of baroque instrumentalists and has succeeded in keeping up a high standard over the years.

In Handel’s Giulio Cesare in Egitto, New Trinity Baroque have a classic historical plot with plenty of additional drama, starting with the shock horror of the rival Roman General Pompey’s severed head being delivered on a platter to Cesare by orders of the Pharaoh Ptolemy in the mistaken belief he will be thanked for ridding Cesare of an enemy.   Sandro Rossi’s burnished countertenor as Giulio Cesare is richly expressive in his scorn of the barbarism of the Egyptian General Achilla, who delivered the head.   More deep historical drama follows as the thuggish Achilla (bass-baritone Marcio da Silva) attempts the rape of the widowed Cornelia, sung here by the sumptuous, voiced contralto Frederica Moi.  Her son Sesto (soprano Sylvia Radjen Kumar) is thrown into a dungeon.

Singing was of a high standard all round with “Alma del gran Pompeo “especially moving, as Cesare reflected on the death of his former military rival.  Serbian soprano Radoslava Kumar played a Kittenish game of disguise as Lidia, revealing herself later as Cleopatra to plead for Cesare’s help in winning the throne of Egypt from her brother.      

Set and costume designs were fairly minimal and eventually were replaced by badly fitting black body garments and white face masks instead, a visual mistake that lent rather a lack of finish to the production.

Creative Team

Artistic Director, Conductor and Producer: Predrag Gosta

Stage Director and Lighting Designer: Marcio da Silva

Set and Costume Design: Predrag Costa

Stage Manager: Marjorie Lemos