CONDUCTORHarry BicketPRODUCTIONDavid McVicarSET DESIGNERRobert
JonesCOSTUME DESIGNERBrigitte ReiffenstuelLIGHTING DESIGNERPaule
ConstableCHOREOGRAPHER Andrew GeorgeGeorge Frideric HandelGiulio
CesareGENERAL MANAGERPeter GelbMUSIC DIRECTOR James LevinePRINCIPAL
CONDUCTOR Fabio LuisiOpera in three actsLibretto by Nicola
Francesco HaymThursday, April 4, 2013, 7:3011:35 pmPremiere New
ProductionThe production of Giulio Cesare was made possible by a
generous gift from the Arthur F. and Alice E. Adams Charitable
Foundation, in memory of William B. Warren, former Co-Trusteeand
Governor of the Foundation; and the Mercedes T. Bass Charitable
CorporationAdditional funding was received fromThe Annenberg
Foundation, and theNational Endowment for the ArtsProduction owned
by Glyndebourne Festival OperaThe 24th Metropolitan Opera
performance of Thursday, April 4, 2013, 7:3011:35 pmGeorge Frideric
Handels ConductorHarry BicketGiulio Cesare201213 SeasonTHE
ROMANSJulius Caesar(Giulio Cesare) David DanielsCurius (Curio),
tribune John Moore*Cornelia, widow of Pompey Patricia BardonSextus
Pompey(Sesto Pompeo), son of Pompey and Cornelia Alice CooteThis
performance is being broadcast live on Metropolitan Opera Radio on
SiriusXM channel 74 and streamed at metopera.org.THE
EGYPTIANSCleopatra, Queen of Egypt Natalie DessayPtolemy (Tolomeo),
King of Egypt, Cleopatras brother Christophe DumauxAchillas
(Achilla), general, adviser to Ptolemy Guido LoconsoloDEBUTNirenus
(Nireno), confidant of Cleopatra and Ptolemy Rachid Ben
AbdeslamDEBUTDANCERSChristina Luzwick, Karla Dionne Victum,Justin
Flores, Kei TsuruharataniACTORSBrian Baldwin, Sean Chin, Matthew
Cusick, Tony Guerrero,Arthur Lazalde, Shad Ramsey, Christian
Rozakis, Sasha Semin, Collin Ware, Philip Willingham, Joshua
Wynter, Christian ZarembaViolin Solo David ChanCONTINUOHarpsichord
Harry BicketCello David HeissTheorbo/Lute/Baroque Guitar James
Daniel SwenbergHarpsichord Ripieno Bradley Brookshire*Graduate of
the Lindemann Young Artist Development ProgramYamaha is the ofcial
pianoof the Metropolitan Opera. Latecomers will not be admitted
during the performance. Visit metopera.orgMet TitlesTo activate,
press the red button to the right of the screen in front of your
seat and follow the instructions provided. To turn off the display,
press the red button once again. If you have questions please ask
an usher at intermission.Chorus MasterDonald PalumboFight
DirectorNicolas SandysMusical PreparationDonna Racik, Steven
Eldredge,Gareth Morrell, Bradley Brookshire, and Jonathan
KellyAsistant Stage DirectorsEric Einhorn, Jonathon Loy, and
Kathleen Smith BelcherStage Band ConductorJeffrey GoldbergItalian
CoachGildo Di NunzioMet TitlesSonya FriedmanScenery, properties,
and electrical props constructed and painted by Cardiff Theatrical
Services, Glyndebourne Festival Opera Shops, and Metropolitan Opera
ShopsCostumes executed by Glyndebourne Festival Opera Costume Shop
and the Metropolitan OperaCostume ShopWigs executed by Metropolitan
Opera Wig DepartmentGiulio Cesare in Egitto is performed in the
Hndel Complete Critical Edition by Frieder Zschoch and used by
arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company,
soleU.S. and Canadian agent for Brenreiter-Verlag, publisherand
copyright owner. This performance is made possible in part by
public fundsfrom the New York State Council on the Arts.Before the
performance begins, please switch offcell phones and other
electronic devices.This production uses gunshot effects.A scene
from Handels Giulio Cesare withDavid Daniels inthe title roleMARTY
SOHL/METROPOLITAN OPERA35The action is based on the historical
events of the Roman civil war of 4847 B.C. Julius Caesar has
defeated his rival Pompey and pursued him to Alexandria, capital
ofEgypt.ThekingdomisruledjointlybyCleopatraandheryoungerbrother
Ptolemy,thelastofthedynastyestablishedinEgypt,afteritsconquestby
Alexander the Great. Pompey has appealed to Ptolemy for arms and
refuge.Act
ICaesarentersAlexandriawithhisgeneralCuriusandhisarmy.Theyaremet
byCorneliaandSextus,thewifeandsonofPompey,whohavecometosue for
peace. Caesar agrees to embrace his enemy, but at that moment
Achillas,
generalofPtolemy,arriveswithagreetingandgiftfromhisking:Pompeys
severedhead.Disgusted,CaesarsendsAchillasbackwithanangrymessage
forPtolemyandathreateningpromisethathewillmeetwiththekingathis
palace before nightfall. Cornelia laments her loss and Sextus
swears to avenge his dead
father.InthepalaceatAlexandria,Cleopatraplotstotakesolepossessionofthe
throne.WhenshelearnsofPtolemysbetrayalofPompeyfromherservant
Nirenus, she resolves to visit Caesars camp and win his favour and
aid. She and Ptolemy bicker before she steals away. Achillas tells
Ptolemy of Caesars angry reception of his gift and offers to
accomplish his murder if Ptolemy grants him
Corneliaasareward.PtolemyfearsthegrowingstrengthofRomeunderthe
leadership of Caesar and agrees.At his camp, Caesar presides over
Pompeys funeral rites. Cleopatra presents
herselftohimdisguisedasLydia,ahandmaideninthepalace,ofnoblebirth
but robbed of her birthright by Ptolemy. Captivated, Caesar
promises to help
her.CleopatraandNirenuswatchasCorneliapaysherlastrespectstoher
deadhusband.CorneliaandSextusplantogethertokillPtolemy.Cleopatra,
still disguised, comes forward and pledges the support of the Queen
of Egypt, offering them the services of Nirenus as a guide into the
palace.CaesarmeetswithPtolemyinaninterviewoffrostydiplomacy.Nevertheless,
hecautiouslyacceptsthekingsinvitationofhospitality.CorneliaandSextus
confront Ptolemy. He is struck by Cornelias beauty, but when Sextus
challenges
himtocombat,heorderstheirimprisonment.AchillasoffersCorneliaher
freedominreturnforherfavors,butsheangrilyrefuses.SheandSextusbid
each other a sad farewell before the guards separate
them.Intermission(AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 PM)SynopsisVisit
metopera.org37 Visit metopera.org Visit metopera.orgAct IIWith
Nirenuss help, Cleopatra has arranged an entertainment at the
palace to further ensnare the interest of Caesar. He arrives and is
enchanted by her song. Nirenus assures him that Lydia is deeply
attracted and will wait for him later that night in her
apartment.Cornelia,nowaprisonerofPtolemy,lamentsherfate.SherepulsesAchillas
oncemore,onlytobemetbytheadvancesofPtolemyhimself.Sheresolves
totakeherownlifebutissavedbySextus.Hehasescapedfromprisonwith
theaidofNirenus,whoalsobringsthenewsthatPtolemyhascommanded
Cornelia to become one of his concubines. He will help to smuggle
Sextus into the harem as well, where, unguarded, the king will be
at his most
vulnerable.CleopatrawaitsforCaesarinherapartment,pretendingtobeasleepwhen
heenters.TheirtrystisinterruptedbyCurius,whohasoverheardAchillass
assassins searching the palace for Caesar. Cleopatra reveals her
true identity to Caesar and begs him to y to safety. Caesar refuses
and goes to face his enemy. Cleopatra prays to the gods to preserve
him and the love she now truly feels for him.Intermission(AT
APPROXIMATELY 10:25 PM)Act
IIIPtolemy,secureinhisharem,laysasidehisarms.Hethrowsawhiteveilto
Cornelia in token that she is to be his that night. Sextus steals
in and tries to use Ptolemys sword to kill him but is disarmed by
Achillas, who summons the king
towar:Caesarisbelievedtohaveplungedtohisdeathintheharborduring
thepreviousnightsassault,butCleopatrahasedtotheRomancampand
mustered an army to march on the palace. Ptolemy prepares to lead
his troops, but refuses Achillas the promised reward for Caesars
death: Cornelia is to be his own prize. A furious Achillas decides
to switch his allegiance to
Cleopatra.PtolemystroopsarevictoriousinthebattleandCleopatraistakenprisoner.
Herbrotherpromisestotakeaterriblerevenge,butshefacesdeathwith
courage.Caesar,meanwhile,isnotdead:theseahascasthimupontothe
shore.Farfromhisarmies,hepraystothewindforhelp.SextusandNirenus
stumble across the wounded Achillas dying on the beach. Overheard
by Caesar, he gives Sextus a seal that will give the bearer
authority to command his troops.
AsAchillasdies,CaesartakesthesealfromSextusandleavestoassemblea
force to storm the palace. Sextus nds new hope. Revenge will soon
be his.SynopsisCONTI NUED38In prison, Cleopatra has prepared to
take her own life. Caesar breaks in with his troops and rescues
her. He sends her to the port to rally her armies and leaves to
wage war on Ptolemy. Cleopatra
rejoices.Believinghimselftobevictorious,Ptolemyseesnoobstacletohispursuitof
Cornelia, but Sextus at last seizes his chance and kills him. The
battle has been won and Caesar crowns Cleopatra sole Queen of
Egypt. She declares her allegiance to the Roman Empire. All welcome
the arrival of peace. David McVicar/Reprinted courtesy of
Glyndebourne Festival OperaSynopsisCONTI NUEDINS1 Visit
metopera.orgGeorge Frideric HandelGiulio Cesare in EgittoIn
FocusPremiere: Kings Theatre, London,
1724Handelsmostpopularoperabothinhisownlifetimeandtodaydepicts the
momentous meeting of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
This grand and ancient subject might suggest a vast, Cecil B.
DeMille-style epic, but Handels operatic masterpiece takes the
opposite approach. The opera explores the inner lives of
larger-than-life characters with insight and elegance in a score
full of arresting subtleties, dreamy trance-like melodies, and
vocal heroics. Handel worked within (and helped dene) the
conventions of opera seria, a structurally
formalanddecorousgenrebuiltprimarilyaroundaseriesofsoloarias.He
wrotetheroleofCesareforthesingerSenesino,oneofthemostcelebrated
ofthecastratimenwhoseunique,highvocalrangewastheresultofsurgery
performed before puberty combined with the projection power of an
adult male.
ButHandelsoperasandGiulioCesareinparticulararemuchmorethan stylized
opportunities for showing off vocal pyrotechnics. The composer
managed to transform the opera seria format from a constraining
dramatic framework into a compelling means to examine thoughts and
feelings through magnicent music.The CreatorsGeorge Frideric Handel
(16851759) was born in Germany, trained extensively in the music
capitals of Italy, and spent most of his brilliant career in
London. While his great choral and orchestral worksmost notably
Messiah and the Music for the Royal Fireworkshave remained
extraordinarily popular up to the present day, his theatrical
creations, which were instrumental in introducing Italian opera to
the British public, disappeared from the worlds stages for almost
two centuries. The modern Handel revival began in the 1920s in
Germany. During the later decades of the 20th century, a widespread
reassessment of his operas brought these works
totheattentionofcontemporaryaudiences.ThelibrettoforGiulioCesareadaptedfromearliertextsthathadservedasthebasisofsuccessfuloperasin
ItalywascreatedbyNicolaFrancescoHaym(16781729),awriter,theater
manager, cellist, and composer in his own right. He wrote the
librettos for several of Handels greatest operas, including
Tamerlano (1724) and Rodelinda (1725).The
SettingThestoryoftheoperaislooselybasedontheencounterofJuliusCaesarand
Cleopatrain48BCincosmopolitanAlexandria,thenthecapitalofEgypt.This
deninghistoricalmomenthascapturedtheartisticimaginationsofeveryone
Remnant.Metondemand.OUTLINE.indd 1 9/13/12 5:50 PMINS3 Visit
metopera.orgfrom Shakespeare to Hollywood lmmakers, and the legend
of a leader who was superhuman in intelligence and skill has
persisted through the ages. Cleopatra is
anothergurewhostraddlestheworldsofhistoryandlegend:smart,beautiful,
and ultimately doomed. The opera focuses on the rst meeting of
these towering
gures,justafterCaesarhaddefeatedhisrivalPompeytheGreatatthebattle
ofPharsalustoestablishhimselfasthesoleruleroftheRomanworld.Atthis
time, Cleopatra was co-ruler of Egypt with her brother, the pharaoh
Ptolemy XIII (Tolomeo in the opera). With a nod to the British
Colonial period, the new Met production transfers the action to a
more modern environment, without placing it in a specic time
setting.The
MusicTheorchestrainGiulioCesareissmallerthanthoseoflaterBaroqueoperas,
and the musical and dramatic messages are conveyed with more
economy than later composers usedbut with no loss of richness or
emotion. The remarkable
solohornaccompanimentinCaesarsmarvelousActIariaVa,tacito,for
example, recalls the sound of a hunters horns as he moves in on his
prey while
simultaneouslysuggestingthemaneuversofthecharactersimpressiveintellect.
Cleopatraisasseductiveassheisintelligent:theonstageband(strings,winds,
a harp, and a theorbo, or large lute) softly accompanies her
ravishing Act II aria Vadoro, pupille, creating a radiant aura
around her vocal line to help convince
usofherirresistiblecharms.Howeverfascinatingtheorchestraldetailsmaybe,
though,thedramaandbeautyofHandelsscoreareconveyedchieybythe
singers.Dialogueandactionaregenerallyconnedtotherecitatives.Thesolo
arias that make up the majority of the score, then, are
commentaries on the action, deliberately stopping dramatic time in
order to explore a given moment, idea, or feeling in great depth
and from every possible artistic and emotional angle.Giulio Cesare
at the
MetTheoperahaditsMetpremierein1988inaproductionbyJohnCopley.The
castincludedTatianaTroyanosinthetitlerole,KathleenBattleasCleopatra,
and Sarah Walker as Cornelia, with Trevor Pinnock conducting.
Jeffrey Gall, as Tolomeo, and Derek Lee Ragin as Nireno, were the
Mets rst countertenors. A 1999 revival featured Jennifer Larmore as
Cesare and the impressive pairing of
mezzo-sopranoStephanieBlytheandcountertenorDavidDaniels(inhisMet
debut)asCorneliaandSesto.Thisstagingwaslastseenduringthe200607
season with Daniels and Lawrence Zazzo sharing the role of Cesare,
marking the rst time a man sang the title role at the Met. David
McVicars new production opens on April 4, 2013, with Harry Bicket
conducting Daniels opposite Natalie Dessay as Cleopatra.In
FocusCONTI NUEDPlaybill_GilbertAlbert.indd 1 3/22/13 3:16 PMINS5
Visit metopera.orgGeorge Frideric Handel was a handsome, highly
ambitious young man in his mid-20s when he came to London, saw a
new opportunity, and conquered the ckle English public for the rst
time. His weapon, the
hastilywrittenRinaldo,premieredinFebruary1711andrepresentedItalian-styleoperaseriaseriousornoble-mindedopera,incontrasttothecomic,
everydaytoneofoperabuffawhichhadonlyrecentlybeenimportedtothe
island.Rinaldoinfactwastherstexampleofthistypecreatedspecically
forLondonaudiences.Itsmagicalatmosphereanduseofspectacularspecial
effectshelpedwinthemovertemporarily,butHandelwouldexperiencethe ebb
and ow of their enthusiasm several times before the public taste
shifted
decisively,nallyforcinghimtoabandonoperathreedecadeslater.Handel
then found an alternative (and less costly) outlet for his dramatic
genius in the new style of English oratorio he had pioneered.
BythetimeheunveiledGiulioCesareearlyin1724,theGerman-born composer
had relocated to London permanently and was riding another crest of
operatic triumph as one of several house composers for the Royal
Academy of Music. The Academy (no relation to the current
institution of that name) was founded in 1719 under a charter from
King George I to provide a steady supply
ofoperaseriaontheItalianmodel,whichbynowcommandedinternational
prestige (except in France). Handels duties as master of the
orchestra included procuring casts from among the leading European
stars and working with the companys librettist, Nicola Francesco
Haym, to shape a text maximally suited
totherosterofavailablesingers.Librettistinthiscontextmeantrecycling
pre-existingtextsthathadbeenwrittenaccordingtooperaseriasfamiliar
conventionsbutalsolikelytosatisfytheaudienceshungerfornoveltyinthe
form of fresh situations and
settings.AshissourcetextforGiulioCesare,HaymturnedtoaVenetianlibretto
writtenbyGiacomoFrancescoBussaniinthe1670s;ithadalreadybeenset
multipletimesbyvariouscomposersworkinginItalydecadesbeforeHandel.
The process of adaptation, in which Handel is believed to have had
substantial
input,involvedsavvytrimmingawayofsubplotsandminorcharactersaswell
asdrawingonotherItaliansourcestocraftadditionalscenesthatwouldgive
thecomposersimaginationespeciallyfreerein:inparticular,thememorable
openingsequenceofthesecondact.Theoperasdenouementwasthen
rewritten,accordingtotheeminentHandelscholarWintonDean,inaway that
tightened the characterization and converted a haphazard chronicle
into
acloselyorganizeddrama,linkingtogetheritstwoprincipalstorylines:the
love and political alliance between Caesar and Cleopatra and the
attainment of justice by Cornelia and her son Sextus for Pompeys
murder by Ptolemy and his henchman Achillas.Program NoteINS6The
operas full title, Giulio Cesare in Egitto emphasizes Caesars
presence in an exotic, faraway place wherewhile preoccupied with
waging
warfareheinturnisconqueredbythepoweroflove.HandelandHaymcouldjustas
reasonably have used the title George Bernard Shaw would later
employ, Caesar
andCleopatra,sincetheunfoldingoftherelationshipofbothprotagonistsis
the operas focus. Along with the two Shakespeare plays in which
each of these
charactersrespectivelygures,GiulioCesareshowsthecapacityofart,unlike
propaganda, to illuminate the blurry realm where history and legend
intersect and acquire timeless signicance.Based very loosely on
accounts of Caesars campaign in Egypt in 4847 BC
bysuchancientchroniclersasPlutarch,theplotmostlyinvolvesactional
fantasy, set against this epic backdrop, in which the effects of
love are revealed in a series of intimate close-ups from varying
perspectives. Dean rightly points to the essentially youthful
quality of this love and of the other passions treated
inGiulioCesare.(Bycontrast,theoperaRodelinda,whichHandelcomposed
the following yearand which the Met successfully reintroduced to
its stage in its 2004 productionexplores its scenario of faithful
married love with a moving eloquence that foreshadows Beethovens
Fidelio.)Inthecontextofoperaseriaconventions,thisyouthfulnesswasreinforced
byHandelsdeploymentofvocaltypes,withitsemphasisonhighmalevoices
asacounterparttothefemalesingers.Thetitlerolewaswrittenspecicallyfor
thecelebrityItaliancastratoSenesino,andTolomeoandNirenowerelikewise
performed by castrati; the Mets production mirrors this by casting
countertenors in these roles. Cleopatra and Sesto are both written
for soprano (i.e., Sesto, unlike Cesare, was conceived as a trouser
role). Cornelia was cast for an alto, Achilla and Curio both for
bass. Indeed, Handel composed not only for particular voice types
but for specic singers, tailoring his musical conception of each
part to their
individualstrengthsandvocalcolors.Heevenrewrotetherstactsubstantially
after composing an initial draft in the summer of 1723 when he
learned that the cast originally planned for the premiere would
have to be altered.Revisions were made to the libretto as
wellgenerally regarded as among the very best Handel ever had at
his disposalwhile several phases of revisions allowed him to rene
the score and to weave unifying threads throughout the
expansivestructure.Theseincludethechoicesofkeyandtempoassociated
withaparticularcharactersarias.Thecomposerlavishedparticularcareon
Giulio Cesare, which is evident both in the ambitious large-scale
dimensions of the work and in the loving detail of its musical
invention and
orchestration.HandelstirelesseffortswererepaidbyCesareshighlysuccessfulinitial
reception, which led to three revivals in his lifetime; for each of
these he altered the score further, taking into account the new
casts. We hear an example of one Program NoteCONTI NUEDINS7 Visit
metopera.orgof these revisions in a new aria he provided for Nireno
at the beginning of the second act (hitherto, like Curio, without
any aria). Productions soon followed on the continent, and Giulio
Cesare was among the very rst works that set in motion Handels
posthumous recognition as one of the masters of opera, starting in
the 1920s, after nearly two centuries of lazy assumptions about
operatic sensibility in the high Baroque. It now holds pride of
place throughout the world as the most frequently produced of
Handels
operas.CertainlysomeofthefascinationinHandelstimeandinourowncan
beascribedtotheundyingallureofCleopatra.AsStacySchiffobservesin her
bestselling recent biography of the queen, Cleopatra has had one of
the busiest afterlives in history, eventually becoming an asteroid,
a video game, a clich, a cigarette, a slot machine, a strip club, a
synonym for Elizabeth Taylor.But the reason Handels musical
dramatization of this material has enjoyed its own remarkable
afterlife results from its depth and variety. A still-commonplace
bias against opera seria holds that the convention of the da capo
aria, which is its basic building block (an ABA form), involves a
merely formulaic repetition after the contrasting middle section,
with a little extra vocal dazzle sprinkled on the second time
around. Another related assumption is that the action happens in
the brief passages of speech-like recitative linking together the
arias. In fact the events that really hold interest and matter for
us occur within the arias. These
externalizeanongoingprocessofinsightandreection(howeverhackneyed
the actual words of the libretto may
be).TakethesequenceofariasforCleopatra,bymeansofwhichHandel
chartstheevolutionofherself-understandingasauthenticemotionreplaces
protectiveartice.Hisportrayalofeachstagetheilluminatingsimplicityof
Pianger la sorte mia, for instanceis the musical equivalent of a
Shakespeare monologue: hardly in keeping with the caricature of
Baroque opera as merely
avehicleforvocaldisplay.Evenmore,theariasarenotjustpocketsoflyrical
beautybutgainsubstanceandsignicancewithinthelargernetworkofthe
othercharacterportraits.TotakePiangeragainasanexample,Handels
subtle touch is to add utesassociated by convention with mourningso
as to set Cleopatras emotions in counterpoint to the tragic grief
that characterizes the widowed
Cornelia.HandelsversionofoperaseriainGiulioCesareintegratesthesemusical
portrayalswithinanevenlargercontextofvibranttheatricality.Theoriginal
productioncalledforstate-of-the-artstagecraftandelaboratecostumesto
enhancethelegendaryresonanceandfantasyofthestory.Powerful,even
gruesome visuals are integral to its effectstarting with the
display of Pompeys decapitated headand Handel made sure to provide
some of the most ravishing
musicofhisentirescoreforthespectacularscenicpictureaccompanying
INS8CleopatrasrstmeetingwithCaesarintheguiseofLydia.Musicitself
isvisualizedasanonstageconsortproducingthecelestialstrainsthatso
enchant Caesar. And the choreographic impulses so central to the
composers imagination naturally lend themselves to
staging.Operaseria,afterall,doesntmeanseriousallthetime.GiulioCesare
interpolates moments of playful seduction and irony amid recurrent
episodes of threat and violence. David McVicars production has
generated widespread
excitementthankstohissympathyforHandelsaesthetic,whichthrillingly
juxtaposes deeply explored emotional states and a remarkably varied
palette
ofmoodswithasheerdelightinentertainment.Itssadtoimagine,during all
those years when an aria here and there was admired but Handels
operas
themselvesfacedderisionasinherentlyundramaticfossils,howmanywere
missing out on a great show.Thomas MayProgram NoteCONTI NUED39
Visit metopera.orgThe Cast and Creative TeamTHIS SEASONMaria
Stuarda and Giulio Cesare at the Met. MET PRODUCTIONIl Trovatore
(debut,
2009).CAREERHIGHLIGHTSHisproductionsincludeIlTrovatore(LyricOperaofChicago,San
Francisco Opera); La Clemenza di Tito (Aix-en-Provence Festival);
Les Troyens, Adriana
Lecouvreur,Aida,Salome,LeNozzediFigaro,Faust,DieZauberte,andRigoletto
(CoventGarden);WagnersRingcycle(Strasbourg);TristanundIsolde(Tokyo);Alcina,
Tosca, and The Rape of Lucretia (ENO); Don Giovanni (San
Francisco); The Rakes Progress,
LaTraviata,Cosfantutte,MadamaButtery,andIdomeneo(ScottishOpera);Die
MeistersingervonNrnberg,GiulioCesare,Carmen,andLaBohme(Glyndebourne);
Sweeney Todd, Don Giovanni, Hamlet, and Il Re Pastore (Opera
North); Semele (Thtre
desChamps-lyses);DonGiovanniandAMidsummerNightsDream(Brussels);
TheTurnoftheScrew(MariinskyTheatre,ENO);andManon(ENO,Dallas,Barcelona,
Chicago).HewasknightedlastyearandreceivedtheSouthBankShowAwardforhis
productions of Giulio Cesare at Glyndebourne and The Rape of
Lucretia and The Turn of the Screw at ENO.David McVicarDIRECTOR
(GLASGOW, SCOTLAND)Harry BicketCONDUCTOR (LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND)THIS
SEASONLa Clemenza di Tito and Giulio Cesare at the Met, Lucio Silla
at Barcelonas Liceu, a concert with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and
a European tour and recordings with the English Concert.MET
APPEARANCESRodelinda (debut,
2004).CAREERHIGHLIGHTSRecentperformancesincludeRinaldoandHerculesforLyricOperaof
Chicago,AlcinaforBordeauxOpera,GlucksOrfeoedEuridiceforMinnesotaOpera
andAtlantaOpera,OrfeoedEuridiceandIdomeneofortheCanadianOpera,Vincent
Martn y Solers LArbore di Diana for Barcelonas Liceu, and Glucks
Iphignie en Tauride for Viennas Theater an der Wien. Since becoming
Artistic Director of the English Concert
in2007hehastouredextensivelywiththatgroupandhasalsoappearedasaguest
conductorwiththeLosAngelesPhilharmonic,TokyoSymphonyOrchestra,andRoyal
Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, among many others.40The Cast and
Creative TeamCONTI NUEDTHIS SEASONGiulio Cesare at the Met.MET
PRODUCTIONAnna Bolena (debut,
2011).CAREERHIGHLIGHTSHehasworkedonanumberofproductionsfortheaterincluding
recentproductionsofTheFullMonty(ShefeldCrucible),KissMe,Kate(CFT,OldVic),
AChorusofDisapproval(HaroldPinterTheatre),Filumena(Almeida),MuchAdoAbout
Nothing (Wyndhams) and The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium,
Toronto). He has worked extensively on productions seen in Londons
West End and on Broadway, and has created
morethan15productionsfortheRoyalShakespeareCompany.Operaworkincludes
TristanundIsoldeinTokyo,MonteverdisLIncoronazionediPoppeainParisandBerlin,
LElisir dAmore for English National Opera, Manon Lescaut for
Gothenburg Opera, Don
CarlofortheFrankfurtOpera,andGiulioCesarefortheGlyndebourneFestival,Lille
Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. He also created production
design for the BBC/Royal Shakespeare Company lm of Hamlet.Robert
JonesSET DESIGNER (LONDON, ENGLAND)Brigitte ReifenstuelCOSTUME
DESIGNER (MUNICH, GERMANY)THIS SEASONUn Ballo in Maschera, Giulio
Cesare, and Il Trovatore at the Met.MET PRODUCTIONIl Trovatore
(debut, 2009).CAREER HIGHLIGHTSShe has designed costumes for Covent
Garden that including Falstaff (also for La Scala), Adriana
Lecouvreur (also for Barcelona, Vienna, and the Paris Opera),
Faust(alsoinLille,MonteCarlo,Trieste,andValencia)andElektra;forEnglishNational
Opera,includingLucreziaBorgia,PeterGrimes(alsoOviedo,DeVlaamseOpera,and
DeutscheOperBerlin),Tosca,LaDamnationdeFaust,LuciadiLammermoor(alsofor
GothenburgOpera,WashingtonNationalOpera,andCanadianOpera)andBoris
Godunov; for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, including Giulio Cesare
(also in Chicago and Lille); and for Opera North, including
Rigoletto, Macbeth (also New Zealand Opera), and
IlTrovatore(alsoOperaIreland).AdditionalworkincludesDonGiovanni(LaScala),Les
Pcheurs de Perles, and Madama Buttery (Santa Fe), Il Trovatore (San
Francisco, Chicago),
DonCarlo(Frankfurt),BillyBuddandTheMakropulosCase(Chicago),Lulu(Munich),
Semele(ParissThtredesChamps-Elyses),andMacbeth(Houston,Chicago).Future
productions include a Verdi triple bill in Hamburg and The Queen of
Spades in Zurich.41THIS SEASONGiulio Cesare at the Met.MET
PRODUCTIONSAnna Bolena, Don Giovanni, and Satyagraha (debut,
2008).CAREER HIGHLIGHTSShe received the 2011 Tony Award for the
Broadway production of War Horse and Londons Olivier Award for Don
Carlos at the Gielgud Theatre, His Dark Materials
attheNationalTheatre,andTheChalkGardenattheDonmarWarehouse.Operatic
engagementsincludeCarmen,Faust,Rigoletto,LeNozzediFigaro,DieZauberte,
andMacbethforCoventGarden;LeNozzediFigaro,DieMeistersingervonNrnberg,
Billy Budd, Giulio Cesare, Carmen, La Bohme, and Rusalka at
Glyndebourne; Idomeneo, Satyagraha, and Peter Grimes for English
National Opera; Cos fan tutte for the Los Angeles
Opera;andLIncoronazionediPoppea,Semele,andAgrippinaforParissThtredes
Champs-lyses. She recently completed work on David McVicars
production of Wagners Ring cycle in Strasbourg and Tristan und
Isolde in Tokyo.Paule Constable LIGHTING DESIGNER (BRIGHTON,
ENGLAND)THIS SEASONGiulio Cesare at the Met.MET PRODUCTIONSDon
Giovanni (debut, 2000) and Anna Bolena. CAREER HIGHLIGHTSIn the
United States he has provided choreography for productions of Der
Fliegende Hllander for New York City Opera and Die Meistersinger
von Nrnberg and Giulio Cesare for Lyric Opera of Chicago. His U.K.
credits include Les Troyens, Adriana
Lecouvreur,andSalomeforCoventGarden;TheTurnoftheScrew,DerRosenkavalier,
Agrippina,andTheHandmaidsTaleforEnglishNationalOpera;DieMeistersingervon
Nrnberg, Giulio Cesare, and Carmen for the Glyndebourne Festival;
The Rakes Progress and La Traviata (also Welsh National Opera) for
Scottish Opera; and Der Rosenkavalier for
ScottishOperaandOperaNorth.HehasalsochoreographedproductionsforLaScala,
theNetherlandsOpera,BerlinStateOpera,SalzburgFestival,FrankfurtOpera,Tokyos
NewNationalTheatre,BrusselssLaMonnaie,ParissThtredesChamps-lysesand
Thtre du Chtelet, Opra National du Rhin, and the Aix-en-Provence
Festival, among others, as well as completing work on his third
Ring cycle in Strasbourg.Andrew GeorgeCHOREOGRAPHER (LONDON,
ENGLAND)Visit
metopera.org43THISSEASONCorneliainGiulioCesareattheMetandEnglishNationalOpera,Calboin
Rossinis Maometto II for her debut at the Santa Fe Opera, Zenobia
in Handels Radamisto at Viennas Theater an der Wien and on tour
with Harry Bicket and the English Concert, and Lady Rich in
Brittens Gloriana at Covent Garden.MET APPEARANCES Erda in Das
Rheingold and Siegfried and Cornelia (debut,
2007).CAREERHIGHLIGHTSSaariahosAdrianaMaterandthetitleroleofOrlandofortheParis
Opera; the title role of Giulio Cesare and the Nurse in Ariane et
Barbe-Bleue in Barcelona; Andronico in Tamerlano in Los Angeles and
with the Washington National Opera; Maria
inMosinEgitto,EdwigeinGuillaumeTell,andBabatheTurkinTheRakesProgress
(Laurence Olivier Award nomination) for Covent Garden; and Azucena
in Il Trovatore and Carmen for Welsh National Opera. She has also
sung Rosmira in Partenope for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the title
role of Rinaldo in Cologne, Penelope in Il Ritorno dUlisse in
Patria with the Berlin State Opera, Angelina in La Cenerentola in
Brussels, and Tancredi and Arsace in Semiramide in Venice.Patricia
BardonMEZZO-SOPRANO (DUBLIN,
IRELAND)THISSEASONSestoinGiulioCesareattheMet,LeonoreinLaFavoriteatParissThtre
desChamps-lyses,andNicklausse/TheMuseinLesContesdHoffmannwiththeSan
Francisco
Opera.METAPPEARANCESHanselinHanselandGretel,CherubinoinLeNozzediFigaro(debut,
2006) and Sesto in Giulio
Cesare.CAREERHIGHLIGHTSCherubinoatCoventGardenandwiththeScottishOpera,Hanselat
Lyric Opera of Chicago and Covent Garden, Orfeo in Orfeo ed
Euridice and Poppea in
LIncoronazionediPoppeaatEnglishNationalOpera,OctavianinDerRosenkavalierin
Geneva, Charlotte in Werther in Frankfurt, Ruggiero in Alcina with
San Francisco Opera
andattheEdinburghFestival,thetitleroleofAriodanteatParissBastilleOpera,the
titleroleofBrittensTheRapeofLucretiaattheSalzburgFestival,theComposerin
Ariadne auf Naxos with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Welsh
National Opera, Nerone in LIncoronazione di Poppea at the
Glyndebourne Festival, and Cherubino, Penelope in Il Ritorno
dUlisse in Patria, and Dorabella in Cos fan tutte at Opera
North.Alice CooteMEZZO-SOPRANO (CHESHIRE, ENGLAND)The Cast and
Creative TeamCONTI NUEDVisit metopera.orgThe Perfect Gift for Opera
Lovers! Met Gi Cards, in ve elegant designs, are available at the
box oce, in the Met Opera Shop, and online. Cards may be redeemed
for tickets, merchandise, Met memberships, and more.Learn more at
metopera.org/gicardMetGiCard45THIS SEASONCleopatra in Giulio Cesare
at the Met, Marie in La Fille du Rgiment at Pariss Bastille Opera,
and Olympia, Antonia, and Giulietta in Les Contes dHoffmann at the
San Francisco Opera and in Barcelona.MET APPEARANCESLucia di
Lammermoor, Violetta in La Traviata, Amina in La Sonnambula,
Marie,theFiakermilliinArabella(debut,1994),OlympiainLesContesdHoffmann,
Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Juliette in Romo et Juliette.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTSShe has sung Violetta at the Vienna State Opera
and Aix-en-Provence
Festival,CleopatraandthetitleroleofManonattheParisOpera,andMlisandein
PellasetMlisandeinGlasgowandattheTheateranderWien.Shehasalsosung
Amina at La Scala, Lucia with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and at the
Paris Opera, Manon
inChicagoandBarcelona,MariewiththeViennaStateOperaandatCoventGarden,
andOphlieinThomassHamletatCoventGarden,ParissChtelet,andinGeneva,
Toulouse, and Barcelona.Natalie DessaySOPRANO (LYON, FRANCE)THIS
SEASONThe title role of Giulio Cesare at the Met and Michigan Opera
Theatre, the title role in the world premiere of Theodore Morrisons
Oscar at the Santa Fe Opera, Tirinto in Handels Imeneo at Londons
Barbican Hall, and the title role of Handels Radamisto at Viennas
Theater an der Wien and on tour with Harry Bicket and the English
Concert.METAPPEARANCESProsperoinTheEnchantedIsland,OrfeoinOrfeoedEuridice,Giulio
Cesare and Sesto (debut, 1999) in Giulio Cesare, Oberon in Brittens
A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Bertarido in
Rodelinda.CAREERHIGHLIGHTSRecentperformancesincludeArsameneinHandelsSersewiththe
SanFranciscoOpera;thetitleroleinHandelsRinaldo,LichasinHandelsHercules,
andOberoninChicago;RobertoinVivaldisGriseldainSantaFe;andOrfeowiththe
Minnesota Opera. He has also sung Arsamene with Houston Grand
Opera, Giulio Cesare
attheGlyndebourneFestival,OttoneinLIncoronazionediPoppeainLosAngeles,the
titleroleofHandelsOrlandowithMunichsBavarianStateOpera,ArsaceinPartenope
and Orfeo in Chicago, and Bertarido in San Francisco.David
DanielsCOUNTERTENOR (SPARTANBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA)The Cast and
Creative TeamCONTI NUEDVisit metopera.org46The Cast and Creative
TeamCONTI
NUEDTHISSEASONTolomeoinGiulioCesareattheMetandParisOperaandDisingannoin
Handels Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno at Viennas Theater an
der Wien.MET APPEARANCESUnulfo in Rodelinda (debut, 2006).CAREER
HIGHLIGHTSHe has sung Tolomeo at the Paris Opera, in Versailles,
and for debuts
in2012attheSalzburgFestivalandZurichOpera,thetitleroleofRinaldoatthe
GlyndebourneFestival,thetitleroleofTamerlanoatCharlestonsSpoletoFestival,the
title role of Orlando at Pariss Thtre des Champs-lyses, and Ottone
in LIncoronazione di Poppea at the Glyndebourne Festival and in
Paris, Geneva, and Madrid. He made his professional debut in 2002
as Eustazio in Rinaldo in Montpellier and has also sung Hamor in
Handels Jeptha and Apollo in Brittens Death in Venice at the
Theater an der Wien and Unulfo with the Dallas Opera. He appeared
in concert performances of Semele and Giulio Cesare with
mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli at Pariss Salle Pleyel.Christophe
DumauxCOUNTERTENOR (CUIRY-LS-CHAUDARDES, FRANCE)Remembering Ris
StevensJune 11, 1913 March 20,
2013ShortlyaferthisissueofPlaybillhadgone
topress,theMetfamilywassaddenedby thenewsofthedeathofmezzo-soprano
Ris Stevens, just shy of her 100th birthday
(aneventwewerelookingforwardto celebrating in the front of this
program).Aconsummateartist,treasuredcolleague,
anddevotedsupporterofthecompanyfor 75years, Stevens sang 337
performances with the Met, most frequently in the title role of
Carmen and as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier (pictured). Afer her
retirement from the stage in 1961, she continued her work as a
tireless advocate for both the company and for opera as an art
form, serving as director of the Metropolitan
OperaNationalCompanyandoftheNationalCouncilAuditions,advisor to the
Young Artist Development Program, and a managing director on the
Mets board. We extend our sincerest condolences to her family and
her many friends and admirers.PHOTO: ANNEMARIE HEINRICH / MET OPERA
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