Janet Bakers sings scenes from Julius Caesar

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759)


Julius Caesar 74:25
Libretto by Nicola Haym
English translation by Brian Trowell
Edition prepared by Noel Davies and Sir Charles Mackerras

Act I
from Scene 1 Open country in Egypt
1 'Caesar! Caesar! Egypt acclaims thee' 1:41
Chorus
2 'Kneel in tribute, fair land of Egypt' 2:05
Caesar
3 'Curio, Caesar has come . . .' 2:33
Caesar, Cornelia, Sextus, Achillas
4 'Tyrant, avoid my sight' 3:58
Caesar

from Scene 3 Caesar's camp
5 'Spirit of mighty Pompey' 2:57
Caesar, Curio, Cleopatra, Nirenus

from Scene 4 In the palace of the Ptolemies
6 'Caesar! A generous destiny' 1:08
Ptolemy, Caesar, Achillas
7 'How silently, how slyly' 6:31
Caesar

Act II
Scene 1 (complete) A grove of cedars
8 'Have you done as I ordered, faithful Nirenus?' 2:48
Cleopatra, Nirenus, Caesar
9 'Lamenting, complaining of Caesar's disdaining' 4:37
Cleopatra, Caesar
10 'Fly then, fly, O my heart' 0:42
Caesar, Nirenus
11 'Fleet o'er flowery meadow gliding' 7:48
Caesar

from Scene 3 A chamber
12 'Ah gods! What do I see?' 2:49
Caesar, Cleopatra, Curio
13 'In anger and fury I'll turn on the foe' 1:41
Caesar, Chorus
14 'They will kill him' 1:12
Cleopatra

Act III
from Scene 1 An anchorage near Alexandria
15 Symphony 0:43
16 'From the perils of the ocean' 2:06
17 'Zephyrs! Zephyrs, come to mine aid!' 6:35
Caesar
18 'Nirenus, the battle is fought and lost' 2:32
Sextus, Achillas, Caesar, Curio
19 'See in spate the high cataract storming' 4:33
Caesar

Scene 3 (complete) The harbour of Alexandria
20 Symphony 2:59
21 'Here, Curio and your legions' 2:27
Nirenus, Caesar, Sextus, Cornelia, Cleopatra
22 'Dearest!' 'Fairest!' 5:45
Cleopatra, Caesar
23 'Long, long may Egypt continue' 0:29
Caesar
24 'Proclaim we all great Caesar's glory' 0:52
Chorus
25 'A vow I give you' 0:57
Caesar, Cleopatra
26 'Proclaim we all great Caesar's glory' 0:55
Chorus

Dame Janet Baker mezzo-soprano - Julius Caesar
Christopher Booth-Jones baritone - Curio
Sarah Walker mezzo-soprano - Cornelia
Della Jones mezzo-soprano - Sextus
Valerie Masterson soprano - Cleopatra
James Bowman countertenor - Ptolemy
John Tomlinson bass - Achillas
David James countertenor - Nirenus
English National Opera Chorus
English National Opera Orchestra
Sir Charles Mackerras
Recorded in:
Abbey Road Studios, London
1-7 August 1984
Producer(s)
John Fraser
Sound Engineer(s)
Mark Vigars
Format: DDD
Bit Rate: 24 Bit / 96K