Giulio Cesare Fun Facts
So you think you know everything about Handel's Giulio Cesare?
Here are some lesser known tidbits about Handel's popular opera.
Handel was known for his intense compositional pace, especially when writing operas like Giulio Cesare. Stories suggest he composed the entire opera within weeks, fueled by vast amounts of strong coffee—up to 40 cups a day. Coffee shops were cultural hubs in London at the time, and Handel was a frequent visitor.
The lead role was written for the famed castrato Senesino, whose vocal range and power were a spectacle in themselves. Castrati were surgically altered before puberty to maintain their high-pitched voices, making them Baroque celebrities—and subjects of ridicule and wonder.
Cleopatra sings more arias than any other character in the opera, and Handel ensured each showcased a different mood or emotion. It was his way of making Cleopatra both a dramatic and musical centerpiece, practically designing the role as a “greatest hits” showpiece for sopranos.
Tensions between the sopranos Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni were so intense that rival audience factions erupted into fights—one even ended in an actual duel among nobles. Handel, who managed both singers, had to walk a tightrope to avoid scandal and ensure the show went on.
When Giulio Cesare was introduced to Paris, French audiences reportedly found the exaggerated wigs and costumes of the London staging laughable. Critics dismissed the opera as "Anglo-Egyptian absurdity," and its early run was canceled.
A number of arias in Giulio Cesare were recycled from Handel’s previous operas or cantatas, altered just enough to feel fresh. This was common practice at the time, and audiences rarely noticed—or cared—since most were hearing the music for the first time.
Early stagecraft in London could be very literal, and since Giulio Cesare is set in Egypt, producers included a crocodile puppet. Audience members reportedly applauded it as much as the arias—proof that Baroque opera could be kitschy as well as classy.
Baroque opera had a tradition of allowing vocalists to improvise ornaments and even cadenzas. Some particularly bold singers took it further and changed the melody mid-performance to suit their mood or show off.
Because sopranos had to remain on stage for long stretches, some costumes were cleverly designed with hidden compartments. Performers could stash small snacks like candied fruits to keep their energy up—especially helpful during three-hour shows.
Nicola Haym, who adapted the libretto, was rumored to have been involved in British intelligence circles. His fluency in multiple languages and dealings with noble patrons made him an ideal informant.
Francesco Bernardi (Senesino) had a notorious reputation for being difficult. He once left rehearsal in a rage because a wig was not styled to his satisfaction and demanded rewrites of arias he disliked.
Anecdotes from contemporaries suggest Handel was known to imitate and ridicule his singers’ quirks, even composing “mock arias” in their style to tease them. These impressions were reportedly quite accurate and hilarious.
A modern fringe opera troupe once staged Giulio Cesare entirely with sock puppets. Despite its absurdity, critics praised it for being surprisingly faithful to the musical score.
Within 50 years of its premiere, Giulio Cesare had been performed over 222 times in more than 30 cities—an incredible feat for the era. It was a clear sign of its enduring popularity across linguistic and cultural barriers.
The aria “Piangerò la sorte mia” demands immense breath control. During an early 20th-century performance, a soprano reportedly fainted while holding the final note—a reminder of the opera’s vocal difficulty.
Knowing that hungry performers are grumpy performers, Handel regularly sent pastries backstage during long rehearsals. He believed that well-fed singers gave better performances.
During one London performance, a soprano tripped on her costume and fell flat. Thinking quickly, she transformed it into a dramatic fainting scene, winning thunderous applause.
During the 1730s, Giulio Cesare had become so popular in London that audiences would occasionally sing along—especially with familiar choruses. Though frowned upon by serious music lovers, it showed the opera's grip on popular culture at the time.
With limited stage technology, early productions used creative orchestration to mimic sound effects like wind, storms, or clashing swords. Musicians would even stamp their feet or shake instruments to simulate battle scenes.
In an over-the-top 1920s revival in Vienna, producers decided to include a live camel for "authentic" Egyptian flair. The animal refused to walk in a straight line and disrupted Act II by trying to chew the Cleopatra’s headdress.
Legend has it that while Handel was composing late at night, a candle tipped over and nearly burned part of the original manuscript. Thankfully, the fire was quickly put out, and only a corner of the sheet music was singed.
Handel, ever the musical recycler, later reused parts of Cleopatra’s famous arias by reversing their melodic contours and inserting them into different contexts in future operas. Modern scholars have traced these clever reversals.
The original orchestra used strings made from animal intestines—specifically sheep. While this may sound gross today, it gave Baroque music its distinctive warm and gritty texture, especially under low tension.
Handel was known to compose in bed, especially during periods of illness or exhaustion. His habit of writing on both sides of the paper—and upside down on occasion—has made deciphering his original manuscripts a puzzle for musicologists.
Spanish authorities in the 18th century found Giulio Cesare too emotionally intense and deemed it "a danger to public decency." The opera’s portrayal of Cleopatra’s seductive power was cited as morally corrupting.
Photo credit: The Metropolitan Opera