G. F. Handel, Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Act I)

The background of Handel’s Giulio Cesare is explained pretty well in the note to the excerpt from Act 2 in NAWM 91. The excerpt here comes from the beginning of Act 1. I’ve added it to give you a broader idea of character types in 18^th-century Italian opera, of the relation between recitative and aria, and of arias with different affects.

Before Act 1 begins, Julius Caesar has defeated his rival Pompey in a naval battle off the coast of Egypt. Pompey flees to shore with his wife (Cornelia) and son (Sesto). Egypt is ruled jointly by Cleopatra and her brother Ptolomy, sibling rivals, each of whom wants to enlist Caesar’s support against the other. At the beginning of the act Caesar is welcomed in triumph to Egypt, where he encounters Cornelia and Sesto. An emissary (Achillas) from Ptolomy arrives and presents Caesar with the severed head of Pompy, whom Ptolomy has murdered in an effort to suck up to Caesar. Cornelia is devastated (it’s her husband, after all), Sesto is indignant, and Caesar (who believes in fighting fair) is outraged at Ptolemy..

These events are set to music as follows.

The act is preceded by an overture in French style, with a slow, impressive introduction in dotted rhythm, followed by a 3-voice fugue. The fugue has a long subject, consisting repeated 8^th notes followed by running 16ths – both typical for Handel. The subject is heard in A, then in several keys in rapid succession (f#minor, b minor, E major), concluding with closing material in A. The overture is scored for four-part strings, with oboes doubling violins 1 and 2.

Caesar is welcomed to Egypt by processional music in the orchestra, followed by a short chorus. (The score gives the names of the singers next to the chorus parts, showing that the principal singers functioned as choristers when necessary.) Caesar (sung in the first performance by Senesino, a famous castrato) sings a short energetic aria introducing himself to the Egyptians and to the audience. Caesar then displays his magninity to Cornelia and Sesto in recitative. Achillas enters and presents Pompey’s head, still in recitative. Caesar then expresses his displeasure in another aria, which could be called an “anger aria,” full of vocal display and violin passagework – after which he leaves the stage.

Cornelia, Sesto, and Curio (Caesar’s assistant) remain on stage. Cornelia tries to kill herself in recitative and is prevented by Curio, who propositions her – also in recitative. (Everyone is always hitting on poor Cornelia.) Cornelia then sings a pathetic aria about her desperate situation. A flute (traversa) added to the string orchestra increases the pathos. The voice enters directly without orchestral ritornello – typical of pathetic arias. The A-section,, in D major, is diatonic and somewhat sweet; the B-section, beginnning in G major but ending in F# minor is chromatic and features many Neapolitan harmonies.