Giulio Cesare review – nightmarish take on Handel has snakes, sadism and a mummy

David Alden's production of Handel's "Giulio Cesare" premiered at The Grange Festival in Northington, Hampshire, this week, presenting a dark, Kafkaesque interpretation of the 1724 opera. While Handel was at the peak of his popularity when he composed "Giulio Cesare" for a cast of elite singers, this production moves away from comedic interpretations and political satire, such as referencing figures like Trump. Instead, Alden's staging features a nightmarish world filled with body bags and refugees, exploring themes of military conquest and personal trauma. The characters are depicted in unconventional ways: Cesare is preoccupied with military memoirs, Cleopatra with asps, and her servant is a mummy. Tolomeo's general is shown urinating while his master bathes, and Cornelia, the widow of Pompey the Great, is portrayed as battered and bewildered, eventually turning to alcohol. The performances by the cast were strong, though the Early Opera Company in the pit did not always match their energy.