No wonder that opera lovers in London were so eager to hear Handel’s new opera – the hero was Julius Caesar, a historical figure who played a major role in England’s history, and he and Cleopatra were popular figures in Shakespeare’s play. Giulio Cesare in Egitto is about the confrontation between two cultures, the Roman and Egyptian, the rivalry within both realms and the delightful constellation that political and erotic considerations can go hand in hand between two people. Nicola Haym expanded the plot about Caesar, Cleopatra and Ptolemy to include Pompey’s widow Cornelia and her son Sextus, who suddenly finds himself expected to avenge his father’s death. Every hero and villain has his weaknesses, and even those who believe they are invincible come a cropper. Love intended to be awoken in somebody as a ploy often awakes, unexpectedly, in the person seeking to manipulate. The libretto inspired Handel to perhaps his most magnificent score, which includes an aria accompanied by solo horn and another that calls for an orchestra on stage when Cleopatra, disguised as the incarnation of virtue, tries to seduce Caesar. Giulio Cesare in Egitto (1st new production for more than 34 years) is directed by Johannes Erath.