Well, Handel ran this opera company.
He chose the theater, he chose the singers,
he set the pay scale for all the employees, he composed the music, and
he rehearsed and conducted all the performances.
Sometimes he enjoyed great artistic and financial success and sometimes he didn't.
His most successful opera was Julius Caesar of 1724 based on an episode in
the life of Caesar in which he pursues and defeats his rival Pompey in Egypt,
but Queen Cleopatra, in turn, conquers Caesar.
Or at least the heart of Caesar.
Through her beauty and through her music.
Let's hear a bit of the central aria V'adoro,
Vadoro Pupille during which Cleopatra attempts
to capture the heart to seduce Caesar again through the beauty of the music.
We'll hear only a bit of V'adoro Pupille.
We'll pick it up with the return
to the A section of our da capo form.
>> [FOREIGN] >> So
because we are back in the A section,
we are, of course,
hearing the great beautiful [INAUDIBLE].
>> [FOREIGN] >> And to make this music even more
beautiful, Handel has required that two orchestras accompany the singer here.
One is on stage, and one is in the pit.
>> [FOREIGN] >> And as you can see,
Cleopatra is doing everything possible, physically and
vocally to seduce Caesar, who rests upon the stage.
>> [FOREIGN]