History Theatre / GiulioCesareInEgitto

* SettingUpdate: Done more often than not in modern productions, with, for example, the 2005 David [=McVicar=] production moving the plot to India of the 19th century, and the 2013 one from Salzburg – to modern Egypt.

''Giulio Cesare in Egitto'', often shortened to ''Giulio Cesare'' (''Julius Caesar in Egypt''), is a 1725 opera by Music/GeorgeFredericHandel, considered to be one of his best works and one of the best-known Baroque operas overall nowadays. The libretto by Nicola Haym is a rewrite of an earlier libretto by Giacomo Francesco Bussani (adapted to music by Antonio Sartorio; it's believed Händel used some of his music too when writing his version) and is extremely loosely based on the relationship of UsefulNotes/CleopatraVII and UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar, and the civil conflict in Egypt in which they were involved.

* OneHundredPercentAdorationRating: Caesar is universally beloved in Egypt (Ptolemy and initially Achillas being the only known exceptions), so that everyone squees at the news that Egypt will now be subject to Rome.

* BackForTheFinale: The entire cast, including the dead Ptolemy and Achillas, gathers for the final chorus.

* GriefSong: Cornelia’s ''Priva son d’ogni conforto'', after she sees [[AndIMustScream her husband’s head]] brought to Caesar.

* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Even after he’s finished with his EvilGloating and with no intentions to spare Cleopatra, Ptolemy, for no reason, keeps her alive long enough for Caesar to find and rescue her.

** The fact that Cleopatra and her brother were married is never referenced, and neither is Caesar’s own marriage.

** Achillas for Cornelia.
** Caesar for Cleopatra.

* PragmaticAdaptation: Sartorio's opera was way longer, had a way more convoluted plot and LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters who are constantly falling in love with/declaring hate for/[[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers getting disguised as each other]]. Haym's removal of many of Bussani's details brings focus to the two main plotlines (Caesar and Cleopatra, Cornelia and Sextus), both dramatically and musically.

* SettingUpdate: Done more often than not in modern productions, with the 2005 David [=McVicar=] production moving the plot to India of the 19th century, and the 2013 one from Salzburg – to modern Egypt.

* CreepyCrossdresser: In his first appearance in David [=McVicar=]’s production, Ptolemy is dressed exactly like Cleopatra, who is onstage at the moment as well and whom [[{{Squick}} he proceeds to grope]].

* ReverseMole: Nirenus is Cleopatra’s man in the palace and quietly sabotages Ptolemy’s plots (for example, freeing Sextus).

** After Achillas dies, Sextus commands to throw "the worthless corpse" into the sea. [[DueToTheDead Averted]] in the ENO production, where that line is cut and Caesar respectfully closes Achillas’s eyes.

* DeathbedConfession: Before dying, Achillas tells Sextus and Nirenus that he murdered Pompey and started the coup against Caesar. The audience knew the latter, and the former is more or less easy to figure out, but Sextus, Nirenus and Caesar (who’s listening at a distance) are shocked and disgusted.

** Played straight if Caesar is sung by a woman.

* WorthyOpponent: Caesar highly admires Pompey’s leadership skills and courage and is ready to reconcile with him.

* TheVillainSucksSong: Caesar’s ''Empio, diró, tu sei'' – the first verse is directed at Achillas, the second at Ptolemy (though in some productions, like the ENO’s version with Janet Baker, it’s entirely about Ptolemy).

Cornelia and Sextus, attempting to get their revenge, are captured by Ptolemy instead, and Cornelia finds both Ptolemy and Achillas vying for her favors. But Ptolemy makes the mistake of promising Cornelia’s hand to his general and then going back on his word in the most humiliating manner possible, so Achillas switches to Cleopatra’s side. When Caesar and Cleopatra’s army is defeated, the mortally wounded Achillas gives Sextus the ring with the commander’s sigil and tells him where the relief troops are hiding. Caesar, whom everyone thought dead, emerges alive and well, and the tide of the battle turns. Sextus is finally able to kill Pompey, and Caesar crowns Cleopatra as Queen of Egypt.

* SettingUpdate: Done more often than not in modern productions, with the 2005 David [=McVicar=] production moving the plot to the 19th-century India, and the 2013 one from Salzburg – to modern Egypt.

* PragmaticAdaptation: Sartorio's opera was way longer, had a way more convoluted plot and LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters who are constantly falling in love with/declaring hate for/[[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers changing clothes with each other]]. Haym's removal of many of Bussani's details brings focus to the two main plotlines (Caesar and Cleopatra, Cornelia and Sextus), both dramatically and musically.

* PragmaticAdaptation: Sartorio's opera was way longer, had a way more convoluted plot and LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters who are constantly falling in love with/declaring hate for/[[TheLastOneIsNotLikeTheOthers changing clothes with each other]]. Haym's removal of many of Bussani's details brings focus to the two main plotlines (Caesar and Cleopatra, Cornelia and Sextus), both dramatically and musically.

''Giulio Cesare in Egitto'', often shortened to ''Giulio Cesare'' (''Julius Caesar in Egypt''), is a 1725 opera by Music/GeorgeFredericHandel, considered to be one of his best works and one of the best-known Baroque operas overall nowadays. The libretto by Nicola Haym is a rewrite of an earlier libretto by Giacomo Francesco Bussani (adapted to music by Antonio Sartorio) and is extremely loosely based on the relationship of UsefulNotes/CleopatraVII and UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar, and the civil conflict in Egypt in which they were involved.

* DoggedNiceGuy: Curius, perhaps the only unambiguously nice guy in the whole story, gets repeatedly rejected by Cornelia. In an earlier opera by Sartorio, made to an earlier version of the same libretto, she does accept him in the end, but Händel/Haym‘s version lacks that part.

''Giulio Cesare in Egitto'', often shortened to ''Giulio Cesare'' (''Julius Caesar in Egypt''), is a 1725 opera by Music/GeorgeFredericHandel, considered to be one of his best works and one of the best-known Baroque operas overall nowadays. The libretto by Nicola Haym is extremely loosely based on the relationship of UsefulNotes/CleopatraVII and UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar, and the civil conflict in Egypt in which they were involved.