Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Overture
2. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Viva, viva il nostro Alcide!
3. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Presti omai l'Egizia terra
4. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Curio, Cesare venna e vide e vinse
5. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Sua reggia Tolomeo
6. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Giulio, che miri?
7. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Empio, dir�, tu sei
8. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Gi� torna in s�
9. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Priva son d'ogni conforto
10. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 1: Vani sono i lamenti
11. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 2: Regni Cleopatra
12. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 2: Vanne, e torna omai
13. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 2: Sire, Signor!
14. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 3: Alma del gran Pompeo
15. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 3: Qui nobile donzella
16. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 3: Avanti al tuo cospetto
17. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 3: Sfortunata donzella
18. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 3: Ahim�! Vile e negletta
19. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 3: Cara speme
20. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 4: Oh, quanto bella gloria
21. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 4: Va tacito e nascosto
22. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act I, Scene 4: Dove, dove, inumani

Disc 2:

1. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 1: E seguisti, o Niren
2. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 1: Taci! - che fia?
3. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 1: V'adoro, pupille
4. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 1: Non ha in cielo
5. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 1: Pi� amabile belt�
6. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 2: Deh, piangete, o mesti lumi
7. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 2: Se a me non sei crudele
8. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 2: S� spietata
9. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 2: Madre! Ferma!
10. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 2: Cessa omai di sospirare!
11. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 2: Figlio non �
12. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 3: Bella Lidia
13. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 3: Mora, mora, mora
14. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act II, Scene 3: Se piet� di me non senti
15. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 1: Sinfonia
16. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 1: Vinta cadesti al balenar
17. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 1: Cerco in van Tolomeo
18. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 1: Lascia questo sigillo!
19. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 2: Voi, che mie fide ancelle
20. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 2: Cesare, o un'ombra sei?
21. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 2: Da tempeste il legno infranto
22. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 3: Cornelia, � tempo omai
23. Giulio Cesare in Egitto, opera, HWV 17: Act III, Scene 4: La vendetta del padre

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #93655 in Music
• Brand: RCA
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .46 pounds

Customer Reviews

A document of a superstar in a signature role!
Beverly Sills, in her autobiography "Bubbles", acknowledges that the role of Cleopatra was the turning point of her career, after years of "utility singing" at City Opera. This recording documents the wildly successful 1966 production that turned Sills into an "overnight sensation." Though Handel purists today may find fault with its lack of completeness or style, the recording remains important not only for Sills' radiant Cleopatra, but also for capturing the late Norman Treigle's characterization in the title role. Treigle was particularly riveting in the theater and puzzlingly under-recorded. Other roles in the recording are filled lavishly with Beverly Wolff, Spiro Malas, and the great contralto Maureen Forrester. But again, this recording is Sills' show all the way. Her rendition of "V'adoro, pupille" is one of the great moments in opera--any opera--with golden trills in abundance and a finely spun, luminous legato that halts your own breath. No wonder crowds were on their feet at City Opera when this production was first mounted, cheering loudly and long--and deservedly so. It's a disc no collection should be without, and at a friendly price, to boot!

Untraditional but Wonderful Nevertheless!
Although this opera was originally written for a castrati in the title role, and is usually sung today by a counter-tenor or a mezzo-soprano, American bass-baritone Norman Treigle takes the role and runs with it in this 1966 (recorded in 1967) N.Y. City Opera production. This is Handel's most performed opera today, and while critics may debate whether or not it is his "best", it is full of glorious music.
And it is superbly sung. The supporting case is uniformly excellent. Mezzo-soprano Beverly Wolff is an ardent and fiercly vengeful Sextus, Canadian contralto Maureen Forrester has a wonderful richnes of tone as Cornelia, Pompey's widow, bass Spiro Malas is appropriately malevolent as Cleopatra's brother Ptolemy, and baritone Dominic Cossa brings tremendous musicality to the small role of Achillas, Ptolemy's military advisor.
And then there is the young Beverly Sills in the role of Cleopatra, the second of three roles that made her a superstar. (She had come to the opera-going public's attention in The Ballad of Baby Doe, but this is the role that put her into the top ranks, followed by Massenet's Manon which enshrined her up with Sutherland and Caballe.) She and Treigle simply tear up the stage, and their duets are just remarkable, making you think that if Handel had heard this version he would have rewritten the role of Caesar for a bass-baritone!
National Public Radio's "Curious Listener's Guide to Opera" lists it as the best available recording of the opera, and while purists might disagree, it's certainly my favorite. Well worth buying.

a star is born !!!
This set of Giulio Cesare by Handel is obviously an adaptation
of the original opera - according to purists this version com-
mits just about every musical capital sins possible but with
such gorgeous music and stupendous singing all I can say is
WHO CARES !!! Beverly Sills is quite simply spectacular as
Cleopatra - the role that made her a star - and I love having
a bass-baritone in the role of Caesar it makes the character
far more believable especially in the hands of the imposing
Norman Treigle. The rest of the cast is excellent with special
mention to Maureen Forrester and Beverly Wolff. Julius Rudel's
conducting is elegant and lively and the sound good and atmos-
pheric. Highly recommended.