He came, he saw, he conquered.

Handel won hearts in London with Julius Caesar (Giulio Cesare in Egitto), his only opera for the season of 1723–24. It had 13 performances on debut, with 40 more outings in Europe.

After the success of Rinaldo, Handel had time and resources to lavish upon this masterpiece, one abundant with luscious melodies and harmonies, exotica, passion, revenge and grief.

Caesar’s (attributed) lines Veni, vidi, vici are included in Haym’s libretto, when Caesar observes to his General, Curio “Curio, Cesare venne, e vide e vines (Curio, Caesar came, saw and conquered)“. So it was with this all-conquering Neil Armfield production from the cast and creatives of Pinchgut Opera’s Julius Caesar.

Samantha Clarke and the Orchestra of the Antipodes in Pinchgut Opera’s Julius Caesar. Photo © Brett Boardman

It is 30 years since Francisco Negrin’s sumptuous production of Julius Caesar debuted in Sydney in 1994. Last staged in 2006, that production is memorable for its charismatic combinations of Yvonne Kenny and Graham Pushee as Cleopatra and Caesar, succeeded by Emma Matthews and Tobias Cole.

Other versions abound. David McVicar’s 2005 classic at Glyndebourne was performed at the Met and revived...