Giulio Cesare in Egitto

Question 1

opera seria

Answer 1

• Italian for “serious opera”
• sung throughout
• generally based on historical or mythological subjects

Question 2

da capo aria

Answer 2

• an aria (solo song) employing a ternary (ABA) structure
• the most common type of aria in Baroque opera and oratorio
• in performance, the return of Section A is generally ornamented

Question 3

Giulio Cesare in Egitto background information

Answer 3

• opera seria
• George Frideric Handel
• first performance: 1724
• librettist: Nicola Francesco Haym
• source of plot: ancient Roman history

Question 4

Giulio Cesare in Egitto essay sections

Answer 4

• Principal Characters
• Plot Summary
• “V’adoro pupille” (Cleopatra’s Aria)
• Section A
• Section B
• (Caesar’s Interruption)
• Da capo Section A

Question 5

Giulio Cesare in Egitto Principal Characters

Answer 5

• Caesar, alto castrato, Roman emperor and general

- Cleopatra, soprano, Queen of Egypt

Question 6

Giulio Cesare in Egitto Plot Summary

Answer 6

• Julius Caesar and his army have arrived in Egypt after vanquishing General Pompey and his forces in 48 B.B.
• Cleopatra needs Caesar’s support to regain the throne of Egypt from her scheming brother Ptolemy
• Act 2: Cleopatra disguises herself as a servant and appears before Caesar in a play within a play, hoping to seduce him
• He is captivated by her beauty before learning her true identity
• With caesar’s support, Cleopatra secures her crown;
• the couple denounces tyranny and celebrates the glory of Rome and the enduring power of love

Question 7

Giulio Cesare in Egitto “V’adaro pupille” (Cleopatra’s Aria)

Answer 7

• F major
• da capo aria; ternary (ABA)
• Largo
• 3/4 (meter)

Question 8

Giulio Cesare in Egitto Section A

Answer 8

• after a one-measure introduction, Cleopatra begins her song
• a small ensemble, including muted violins, harp, and viola da gamba serves as an onstage orchestra to accompany Cleopatra, with the oboe and violin doubling the vocal line;
• the full orchestra punctuates and frames the vocal phrases
• the rhythm is inspired by the sarabande, a slow Baroque dance in triple meter with a prolonged (dotted) second beat
• the dotted rhythm remains constant and is treated sequentially
• the A section concludes with a brief closing ritornello, ending with an authentic cadence in F major

Question 9

Giulio Cesare in Egitto Section B

Answer 9

• new key: D minor (relative minor)
• minor mode, new melodic and rhythmic motives: contrast
• increased chromaticism and flowing eight notes: impart restless and witful character
• scored for small ensemble only

Question 10

Giulio Cesare in Egitto (Caesar’s Interruption)

Answer 10

• before the da capo, Caesar interrupts Celopatra, with the words:
• “Non ha in cielo il Tonante melodia, che pareggi un si bel canto
• (Juptor in heaven has no melody that matches such beautiful song)
• brief interjection of recitativo secco: lets audience know that Cleopatra’s plan is succeeding

Question 11

Giulio Cesare in Egitto Da capo Section A

Answer 11

• according to Baroque performance practice, the singer embellishes the original melody with a variety of florid ornaments
• brief cadenza often improvised by soprano before final cadence in the vocal line