As soon as I saw McVicar’s staging of GIULIO CESARE in 2005 at Glyndebourne I realised it was going to be huge. I couldn’t get it out of my head in the intervening years. It has everything that a riveting opera needs: sumptuous visuals, smart direction, wit and vivacity in spades, and now we’re mounting that legendary production in Berlin – and yes, I know in the minds of many the Deutsche Oper Berlin is »too big« for baroque operas, which were conceived with small theatres, festival halls or churches in mind. The orchestras were smaller, with a modest string section and period instruments that usually had a more diminutive sound. It’s often said that musical nuances get swallowed up in a large auditorium and an orchestra used to blaring out Wagner and Strauss is going to be short on subtlety. We want to prove them wrong on that point.

Of all the baroque operas, GIULIO CESARE is the one most suited to a full-scale operatic treatment. It is a work packed with drama and conflict, a tale of love, betrayal, political struggle – and a Cleopatra who is arguably the most seductive soprano in the opera genre. We are not going to truck in a specialist baroque ensemble; taking its seat in the pit will be our own orchestra with their own, modern instruments. Taking the stand will be Stefano Montanari, one of the few conductors able to combine baroque drive with the auditory richness of a modern orchestra. The make-up of our orchestra will be one that has already worked for us with material by Mozart and Rossini: small enough to retain a degree of transparency; large enough to do the score justice.

We managed to sign up singers for the main roles who have close ties to our opera house. Vasilisa Berzhanskaya, internationally one of the ‘go to’ artists for works by Händel and Rossini, will take the title role. Cleopatra is interpreted by Elena Tsallagova, known for the intensity of her performances spanning a range from the baroque to Puccini. And in the warmth and maturity of her vocal shades, Clémentine Margaine will be conferring a maternal depth on the role of Cornelia.

The challenge in baroque operas comes in striking a balance between musical pomp and narrative flow. Händel puts the storyline on hold while his protagonists give vent to their feelings in extended arias. McVicar addresses this problem in his directorial approach by employing exaggeration, choreographed elements and, first and foremost, wit. This is no starchy historical tableau but rather a highly contrived yet entertaining spectacle.

The perfect way, then, to mount a great baroque opera on a house’s main stage. And a great chance for local opera lovers; after all, not everyone can head off to the East Sussex countryside to take in an opera festival. I’m already looking forward to sharing this baroque gem with our Berlin public.

Transcript: Tilman Mühlenberg