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Caesar Seduced—and the Barcelona Audience Too! Barcelona
Palau de la Musica Catalana
02/15/2026 - & February 4 (Wien), 6 (Paris), 8 (Budapest), 10 (Amsterdam), 12 (Hamburg), 17 (Oviedo), 19, 21 (Madrid), 23, 25 (Warszawa), 27 (Essen), 2026
Georg Friedrich Handel : Giulio Cesare in Egitto, HWV 17
Jakub Józef Orlinski (Giulio Cesare), Sabine Devieilhe (Cleopatra), Beth Taylor (Cornelia), Rebecca Leggett (Sesto), Yuriy Mynenko (Tolomeo), Rémy Brès‑Feuillet (Nireno), Alex Rosen (Achilla), Marco Saccardin (Curio)
Il Pomo d’Oro, Francesco Corti (conductor)
J. J. Orlinski, F. Corti, S. Devieilhe (© Toni Bofill)
Inaugurated in 1908, the Palau de la Musica Catalana, designed by Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1849‑1923), is one of the world’s great concert halls. It presents music throughout the year, welcoming some of the world’s most renowned artists, while also hosting local companies in popular operas aimed at a broader, less rarefied audience than that of Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona. In addition, it features concert performances by touring ensembles—such as this evening’s event.
Giulio Cesare (1724) is Handel’s most famous and most frequently performed opera, containing some intoxicatingly beautiful arias. Given its radiant beauty and the calibre of the soloists, I was undaunted by the prospect of four hours of music (including one short intermission).
Vocally, this production maximized countertenors yet succeeded nonetheless in hiring distinct voices to portray Giulio Cesare, Tolomeo and Nireno. Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orlinski, the evening’s main attraction for many, was Cesare. His voice was the heftiest of the three, robust enough to be the heroic Roman, with his most impressive moment in Act II’s “Al lampo dell’armi.” Dramatically, he conveyed Cesare’s virility as well as his sentimental vulnerability vis-à-vis Lidia/Cleopatra. His voice blended with Cleopatra’s particularly well, especially in their final duet, “Caro! Bella!”
Ukraine’s Yuriy Mynenko took on Tolomeo—a demanding yet non‑heroic role that calls for strong dramatic instinct and a lively comic flair—qualities he amply possesses. He was hysterical in his Act I aria “L’empio, sleale, idegno,” and appropriately pathetic in Act II’s “Sì, spietata il tuo rigore,” where he supposedly woos the grief-stricken, recently widowed Cornelia. Technically, his Act III “Domerò la tua fierezza” was the most outstanding.
Equally impressive was France’s Rémy Brès‑Feuillet in the smaller role of Nireno, the lightest of the three countertenor roles, an appropriate choice emphasizing youth and fragility. His Act II aria “Chi perde un momento,” in which he incites Cleopatra to work her charm on Cesare quickly, was both comic and beautifully executed. Early music has come a long way in the last couple of decades. Here we were blessed with three excellent countertenors with vastly different timbres, each possessing a voice suited for their specific role.
France’s Sabine Devieilhe, her country’s leading coloratura soprano, was a most appropriate choice for the role of Cleopatra. She not only possesses the ideal timbre—at once feminine and richly colored—to embody Ptolemaic Egypt’s last queen, but also the commanding temperament the role demands. Her Act II aria “V’adoro pupille” was the most sensual, and she moved us to tears in the same act’s “Piangerò la sorte mia”. Technically, her Act III aria “Da tempeste il legno infranto” was the most dazzling.
Scottish mezzo Beth Taylor was a revelation as Cornelia. Endowed with hefty low notes that would easily qualify her as a contralto, she was especially affecting in her Act I aria, “Priva son d’ogni conforto, e pur speme.” Her Act II aria, “Cessa omai di sospirare!” was elegantly phrased and convincingly interpreted. Taylor’s creamy timbre is both beautiful and distinct, and much darker than Sesto’s mezzo, which made their ensembles especially delightful. Act I’s glorious “Son nata a lagrimar,” one of Handel’s most gorgeous duets (between Cornelia and Sesto), was possibly the evening’s most beautiful moment.
English mezzo Rebecca Leggett’s lighter timbre contrasted beautifully with Taylor’s darker voice. Moreover, Leggett was dramatically convincing as an ardent pubescent young man. Curiously, her Act II aria, “L’aura che spiro,” was reassigned to serve as the opening of Act III. Sesto’s delightful Act I aria, “Cara speme, questo core,” in which the young man voices his resolve to avenge his father, was exquisitely phrased and deeply moving. American bass Alex Rosen and Italian baritone Marco Saccardin were outstanding in the smaller roles of Achilla and Curio.
In addition to the excellent voices, Il Pomo d’Oro and their leader Francesco Corti were a true delight, performing one of Handel’s most colorful and expansive orchestrations, distinguished by a lush, diverse Baroque ensemble. The players include four horns (rare for the time), strings, woodwinds, and sturdy basso continuo. The ensemble never played loudly. One expects brisk tempi with early music specialists, but here they were just right. Happily, the musicians respected the dynamics, therefore an appealing balance was achieved, allowing the singers to shine.
Four hours passed easily and pleasurably. For many in the audience (myself included), Giulio Cesare could have lasted an hour longer and we’d have been equally spellbound.
Ossama el Naggar
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