# Voice types in Giulio Cesare



## Autumn Leaves (Jan 3, 2014)

I've recently started to explore baroque opera: I have occasionally listened to instrumental pieces like the Water Music, but for a long time, never the operatic ones. So, right now my favorite one is _Giulio Cesare in Egitto_, and what shocked me was how many variations of voice types can be there in the cast (well, naturally, with three parts written for castrato and with Sesto who changed his voice type in Handel's lifetime already). I'd like to know, though, which voice types do you prefer there, for Cesare, Tolomeo, and Sesto in particular?

Personally, I prefer a mezzo-soprano Cesare: I found out I like Janet Baker best of all, but I was also impressed with Sarah Connolly and Jennifer Larmore. I don't know why I was left calm with David Daniels and Andreas Scholl, but they just sounded too soft for me.

As for the non-authentic deep-voiced Cesare, I have tried to listen to the 1978 recording with Theo Adam, and - perhaps, of course, it's my ear that doesn't catch the necessary tones, but usually I am more than fine with bass voices - he just thundered through the music that was way too light and fluttering for him (Handel's melodies always remind me either of a flying butterfly or of an opening flower bud).

I haven't heard any mezzo Tolomeos (though I've read that sometimes a woman is cast in this role), so I can only say that of course I prefer the more authentic countertenor. It's not that I have a problems with basses and baritones, quite the contrary, but every single aria of Tolomeo belongs musically and according to the plot to a spoiled, rash and self-centered youth (I can't help but be reminded of Joffrey Baratheon practically all the time when Tolomeo's on stage). A deep manly voice yelling "L'empio, sleale, indegno!!!" is just... not right.

With Sesto I don't know; I like Della Jones and Angelika Kirschlager, but actually I haven't properly heard any male Sesto. The only good-quality recording with a male one that I have is the 2013 Salzburg performance with Philippe Jaroussky, and it's just way too much Regietheater for me (I can't even watch the wonderful and fairly difficult to find _Se a me non sei crudele_ because of Tolomeo with his pillow in the background; and as for Sesto, the idea of rubbing the ashes into his face wasn't the best on the director's part).

Alright, but with all that I'm still a newbie when it comes to baroque opera - so, what are your opinions?


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

I love GIULIO CESARE; I saw it in 2014 at Wolf Trap (a summer theatre in Virginia) in a very intelligently updated production that had a countertenor Cesare. I must say I prefer a mezzo-soprano in the role (I own the recording with Jennifer Larmore, which is great). That recording has a soprano Sesto (Marianne Rorholm), who is good but not first-class. I don't know whether I would prefer a countertenor in that role or not.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

i liked sarah connolly


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## gardibolt (May 22, 2015)

If you like baroque opera, you should check out Naive's series of recordings of Vivaldi operas; they're quite wonderful, and beautifully recorded.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

​If you want something "special", try this one.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Pugg said:


> ​If you want something "special", try this one.


This one is certainly different. According to Wikipedia there are three alto castrato parts (Caesar, Tolomeo and Nireno). But in Rudel's set, all three are cast as bass-baritone. That seems crazy when you consider the closest to alto castrato would be a female alto. Below is the Wikipedia list of characters and their voice type in parenthesis. In all capitals I have entered the voice types for the singers in the Rudel set.

Julius Caesar (alto castrato) BASS-BARITONE

Cleopatra (soprano) SOPRANO (Our beloved Beverly Sills)

Tolomeo (alto castrato) BASS-BARITONE

Cornelia (contralto) CONTRALTO (the wonderful Maureen Forrester)

Sesto (soprano) SOPRANO

Achilla (bass) BARITONE

Curio (bass) BARITONE

Nireno (alto castrato) BASS-BARITONE

It is weird to listen to this after watching the DVD with Janet Baker playing Caesar, but this set is worth it for Sills and Forrester, at least.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Here's another thumbs up for Sills/Treigle/Forrester


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I found one (and bought a copy  ) where there are no counter tenors and plenty of altos:









Here are the voice types on this one:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Regarding the one above, there are three releases that I am aware of. Here are the three covers:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Now, I really like to have a distinct voice for Tolomeo, the creepy usurper of the Egyptian throne. It so happens that the one posted above does have a distinct voice type for Tolomeo, Josella Ligi. Check Tolomeo out on the clips provided at PrestoClassical:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=Giulio+Cesare+dupuy

A prefect voice for a counter tenor part. To me, Josella sounds a lot like Sonia Prina!


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## SanyiKocka (May 6, 2020)

Giulio Cesare (alto castrato) Mezzo or bass-baritone (They both have drawbacks. For mezzos, it is sometimes hard for them to sing long coloratura lines within one breath since the lines were written for castrato singers. For bass-baritones, they major problem is their flexibility. Every bass-baritone I have listened is helpless in Al lampo dell'armi or even becomes helpless in the first aria...) I personally cannot accept countertenor's Cesare. Their voice is too soft for a man named Giulio Cesare.

Cleopatra (soprano) soprano, no problem.

Tolomeo (alto castrato) Countertenor. I believe in real history Tolomeo was still a young boy when Giulio Cesare was in Egypt, wasn't he? I am just joking.

Cornelia (contralto) mezzo

Sesto (soprano) lyric or even lighter tenors but he should have great flexibility. I listened Wunderlich's and Schreier's Sesto, they were just wonderful. Actually my dream Sesto is JDF.

Achilla (bass) bass

Nireno (alto castrato) countertenor


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

SanyiKocka said:


> Giulio Cesare (alto castrato) Mezzo or bass-baritone (They both have drawbacks. For mezzos, it is sometimes hard for them to sing long coloratura lines within one breath since the lines were written for castrato singers. For bass-baritones, they major problem is their flexibility. Every bass-baritone I have listened is helpless in Al lampo dell'armi or even becomes helpless in the first aria...) I personally cannot accept countertenor's Cesare. Their voice is too soft for a man named Giulio Cesare.
> 
> Cleopatra (soprano) soprano, no problem.
> 
> ...


Interesting insight, thanks.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I agree with others here and I like a mezzo Cesare (although Andreas Scholl works well with a bit of amplification in the DVD with him). Tolomeo is great when sung by a countertenor and I like a light mezzo Sesto and a good plummy rich mezzo/contralto as Cornelia.

On CD I think the Jacobs recording with Larmore and Schlick is the best, whilst for DVDs I like the Scholl/Dam Jensen and the Glyndebourne one with Sarah Conolly.

That seems to cover all the bases.

N.


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## Elvira0518 (Mar 1, 2021)

"It's not that I have a problems with basses and baritones, quite the contrary, but every single aria of Tolomeo belongs musically and according to the plot to a spoiled, rash and self-centered youth (I can't help but be reminded of Joffrey Baratheon practically all the time when Tolomeo's on stage). A deep manly voice yelling "L'empio, sleale, indegno!!!" is just... not right." I feel the same. 
Off-topic: I saw Handel's Rinaldo, and very rarely "Sovra balze" is performed by tenors an octave lower than the original one (Gioffredo, countertenor). And it's fine, but something - the vibe, the tune makes the countertenor feel more in place than the tenor. Here it's the same.
And, by the way, I've never seen a female singer performing Tolomeo(although more than half of Julio Cesares and every but one Sestos were female), and I like it. Let alone the fact that I prefer the performance to be gender accurate - so yes, I would prefer a n inferior countertenor to the best mezzo ever in a male role. 

Achila is always a bass, both in original and in trasposed version, and he's completely in place - the musicm the role, etc. fiths a bass (or a baritone, at least) perfectly. Handel was quite good in writing for basses, and he usually includes at least one in each opera.

I ws just going to start to listen to that old recording where Julio Cesare is a bass, so I don't know yet if a bass Julio would sound natural or not. On one hand I would agree, a man who conquered a large portion of the world and is a countertenor (or, God forbid, mezzo!) ... and on the other, it doesn't feel like the music for Julio is so much of a basso of baritone music(altough it might be okay). I like Scholl in this role, Daniels isn't such a good fit (although he is a good Rinaldo, and I love that production with neon eyes and aliens as a whole).


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