07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Review: English Concert Brings Handel's ‘Cesare' to Carnegie
Less than 48 hours after a new production of 'Giulio Cesare in Egitto' ended its run in the Hudson Valley, another 'Cesare' took up the throne in New York City.
The timing was purely coincidental but not that surprising. Handel composed over 70 music dramas, yet only a handful are still performed regularly, and 'Cesare' remains his most popular.
Each recent 'Cesare,' though, had something distinct to offer its audiences. R.B. Schlather's staging upstate was fashionably modern, with a liberal approach to the music. The concert performance in New York, presented by the English Concert at Carnegie Hall on Sunday, was made for faithful Baroque-ophiles: no risks, no frills, no excess.
Almost every season since 2013, the English Concert, led by its artistic director, Harry Bicket, has brought Handel's operas and oratorios to New York. This ensemble sets a standard for Handel performance in the 21st century, in large part because of Bicket's musicality and attention to detail. Like a good wine, this music is savored, not gulped. No interlude is rushed, no aria taken for granted.
