Set during the Roman Civil War (49-45 BCE), Handel's "Giulio Cesare" is an intense drama filled with romance, tragedy and political intrigue. The plot centres on Cleopatra's campaign to seduce Julius Caesar in order to enlist his support in her becoming Queen of Egypt. Handel's music breathes the atmosphere of the Baroque with virtuosic vocal fifi reworks and subtle arias. This acclaimed production is given a modern setting populated by power-hungry oligarchs who are placed by director Calixto Bieito into 'a digital dream world in a desert paradise'.
