The lovestory of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, captured in an astonishing spectacle. George Petrou dares to make his interpretation of Händel’s most beloved opera a nod to some of Hollywood’s classics. He brings the ‘Roaring Twenties’ to ancient Egypt and connects the human to the supernatural.

Caesar with a  fedora
Director/ conductor George Petrou and designer Paris Mexis were inspired by famous adventure films, such as the Indiana Jones series and The Mummy. The story takes place in the ’20’s of the previous century. In these ‘Roaring Twenties’, many adventurers went looking for hidden treasures in pyramids and tombs in Egypt. The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922 caused a wave of ‘Egypt-mania’ throughout Europe. 

In this opera production, Julius Caesar is an adventurer like Indiana Jones –including the fedora– who stumbles upon an unscathed tomb full of precious items. 

Man versus mummy
In the tomb lay several sarcophaguses and stands an enormous Anubis statue. From the Anubis statue, a terrifying mummy arises and from one of the sarcophaguses comes the blinding apparition of Queen Cleopatra. 

Direcotr George Petrou creates a confrontation between Roman adventurers from 1920 and a motley crew of supernatural ghosts and mummies from ancient Egypt. This creates a performance full of surprises and plot twists: excitement, humor and emotional.

“It is simply one of the most beautiful operas ever written”

– George Petrou, director/ conductor

A story of love and power stuggle
Central to this opera are the lovestory between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. However, the power struggle for the Egyptian throne between brother and sister Tolomeo and Cleopatra runs as a thread through the opera. 

Caesar falls for the supernatural seducing wizardry of Cleopatra. And through her love for him, she becomes more ‘human’: does this mean she loses her supernatural powers? 

Finally, Caesar manages to escape the evil Tolomeo and flees to freedom with his beloved Cleopatra. But is Tolomeo truly defeated? 

In the cast, we welcome great solists Yuriy Mynenko, Sophie Junker and Nicholas Tamagna. True adventurers and theaterlovers will love their vocal fireworks!

Source: Theater aan het Vrijthof website