Plot to "Giulio Cesare in Egitto"

Speranza


Place: Egypt

Time: 48 B.C

In Act I, Giulio Cesare and
his victorious troops arrive on the
banks of the River Nile after
defeating Pompey's forces.

(Chorus: "Viva il nostre Alcide").

(Aria: "Presti omai l'Egizia terra").

Pompey's second wife, Cornelia, begs for mercy for her husband's life.

Cesare agrees, but on the condition that Pompey must see him in person.

Achilla, the leader of the Egyptian army, presents Cesare with a casket containing Pompey's head.

It is a token of support from Tolomeo, the co-ruler of Egypt (together with Cleopatra, his sister).

Cornelia faints.

(Aria: "Empio, dirò, tu sei, togliti").

Cesare's assistant, Curio, offers to avenge Cornelia, hoping that she will fall for him and marry him.

Cornelia rejects the offer in grief, saying that another death would not relieve her pain.

(Aria: Priva, son d'ogni conforto, e pur speme).

Sesto, son of Cornelia and Pompey, swears by singing "Svegliatevi nel core"
to take revenge for his father's death.
(Aria: Svegliatevi nel core, furie d'un alma offensa).

---------

Cleopatra decides to use her charm to seduce Cesare. (Aria:
Non disperar; chi sà? se al regno)

---She'll end up in Rome.

Achilla brings the news to Tolomeo
that Cesare was furious over the murder of Pompey.
(Aria: L'empio, sleale, indegno vorria)

Cleopatra (in disguise) goes to meet Cesare in his camp hoping that he will support her as the queen of Egypt.

Cesare is amazed by her beauty.

(Aria: Non è si vago e bello il fior nel prato).

Nireno notes that the seduction was successful. (Aria: Tutto può donna vezzosa, s'amorosa).


Meanwhile, Cornelia continues to mourn the loss of her husband. (Arioso: Nel tuo seno, amico sasso).

Cornelia prepares to kill Tolomeo to avenge Pompey's death,
but is stopped by Sesto, who promises to do
it instead.

Cesare, Cornelia and Sesto go to the Egyptian palace to meet Tolomeo. (Aria: Cara speme, questo core tu cominci a lusingar).

Cleopatra now believes that having turned Cesare, Cornelia and Sesto against Tolomeo successfully, the scales are tipped in her favour. (Aria: Tu la mia stella sei, amabile speranza).

Cesare meets Tolomeo, who offers him a room in the royal apartments, though Cesare tells Curio that he expects Tolomeo to betray him.
(Aria: Va tacito e nascosto, quand' avido).

 Tolomeo is fascinated by Cornelia's beauty but has promised Achilla that he could have her. (Aria: Tu sei il cor di questo core).

Sesto attempts to challenge Tolomeo, but is unsuccessful.

When Cornelia rejects Achilla, he orders the soldiers to arrest Sesto.

(Duet:
Son nato a sospirar, e il doce/Son nata a lagrimar, e il doce).

 

In Act II, at her palace, while in disguise as "Lidia", Cleopatra uses her charms to seduce Cesare. (Aria: V'adoro, pupille, saette d'Amore).

She sings praises of Cupid's darts and Cesare is delighted.

 Cesare is smitten with Cleopatra, and Nireno tells Cesare that "Lidia" is waiting for him. (Aria: Se in fiorito ameno prato).

In Tolomeo's palace, Cornelia laments her fate. (Arioso: Deh piangete, oh mesti lumi).

Achilla pleads with Cornelia to accept him, but she rejects him. (Aria: Se a me non sei crudele, ogn'or)

When he leaves, Tolomeo also tries to win her, but is also rejected. (Aria: Sì spietata, il tuo rigore sveglia).

Thinking that there is no hope, Cornelia tries to take her own life, but is stopped by Sesto, who is escorted by Nireno.

Nireno reveals the bad news that Tolomeo has ordered for Cornelia to be sent to his harem.

However, Nireno also comes up with a plan to sneak Sesto into the harem together with Cornelia, so Sesto can kill Tolomeo when he is alone and unarmed. (Aria: Cessa omai di sospirare! non è sempre).

Sesto enters the garden of the palace, wishing to fight Tolomeo for killing his father. (Aria: L'angue offeso mai riposa).

Meanwhile, Cleopatra waits for Cesare to arrive in her palace. (Aria: Venere bella, per un instante deh).

Still smitten with her, Cesare arrives in Cleopatra's palace.

However, Curio suddenly bursts in and warns Cesare that he has been betrayed, and enemies are approaching Cesare's chambers and chanting "Death to Cesare". Cleopatra reveals her identity and after hearing the enemies heading for them, asks Cesare to flee, but he decides to fight. (Aria: Al lampo dell'armi quest'alma guerriera). (Chorus: Morà, Cesare morà). Cleopatra, having falling in love with Cesare, begs the gods to bless him. (Aria: Se pietà di me non senti, giusto ciel). In Tolomeo's palace, Tolomeo prepares to enter his harem. (Arioso: Belle dee di questo core). As Tolomeo tries to seduce Cornelia, Sesto rushes in to kill Tolomeo, but is stopped by Achilla. Achilla announces that Cesare (in the attempt to run from soldiers) has jumped from the palace window and died. Achilla asks again for Cornelia's hand in marriage but is turned down by Tolomeo. Furious, Achilla leaves. Sesto feels devastated and attempts to kill himself but is prevented from doing so by his mother; he repeats his vow to kill Tolomeo. (Aria: L'aure che spira tiranno e fiero).

[edit] Act 3

Achilla is furious about Tolomeo's ungratefulness towards him despite many years of loyal service, and plans to defect to Cleopatra's side. (Aria: Dal fulgor di questa spada). However, he is stabbed by Tolomeo before he can carry out his plans. Sounds of battle ring out between Tolomeo's and Cleopatra's armies. Things do not go well for Cleopatra, and Tolomeo celebrates his apparent victory against Cleopatra. (Aria: Domerò la tua fierezza ch'il mio trono). Cleopatra laments her loss of the battle, as well as her loss of Cesare. (Aria: Piangerò la sorte mia, si crudele). However, as it turned out, Cesare has survived his leap and is roaming the desert looking for his troops. (Aria: Aure, deb, per pietà spirate). While searching for Tolomeo, Sesto finds the wounded Achilla. Before Achilla dies, he hands Sesto a seal of authority to enable Sesto to command his armies. Cesare appears and demands the seal. He promises that he will save both Cornelia and Cleopatra or die. (Aria: Quel torrente, che cade dal monte). Sesto is encouraged by the fact that Cesare is alive and Achilla is dead, and vows to fight on. (Aria: La giustizia ha già sull'arco). Meanwhile, Cleopatra was still lamenting her fate when Cesare appears before her. Cleopatra is overjoyed to see Cesare alive. (Aria: Da tempeste il legno infranto). Sesto finds Tolomeo in the palace forcing himself on Cornelia and kills him. Having successfully avenged Pompey, Cornelia and Sesto celebrate Tolomeo's death. (Aria: Non ha più che temere quest'alma). The victorious Cesare and Cleopatra enter the city of Alexandria, and Cesare proclaims Cleopatra as queen of Egypt and promises his support to her country. They declare their love for each other. (Duet: Caro!/Bella! più amabile beltà mai non). Cesare then proclaims the Egypt's liberation from tyranny, and wishes for the glory of Rome to be spread far and wide. The entire cast (includng the dead Achilla and Tolomeo) then gathers on stage for the opera's final chorus as they celebrate the power of love and the triumph of good over evil. (Chorus: Ritorni omai nel nostro core).