I prefer Jacobs on Harmonia Mundi. It's a compelling and beautiful performance; also has Larmore and Fink to top it off.

 

It's exactly the recording I have :cheers:

 

I do have this one:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/MDG/MDG6091604
Not a real fan though.

 

Pugg, this version is really interesting... Petrou is a great conductor but I am not sure about some of the vocal cast/soloists. Interesting, this recording has Emanuela Galli and Romina Basso. Let me to listen some samples.

 

Alan Curtis for Naïve label is my favorite

 

I have this one, but haven't listened to it much:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/search.php?searchString=caesar+sills

 

The one I must get too, if only for Beverly Sills. Though I don't understand, is this full opera or just excerpts?

 

well i like the you tube version with Natalie Dessay as she runs around as Cleopatra in all her glory exposed:devil:


ps back to back remarks on the video..
1) she's disgusting
2)This is also brilliant!Thanks!

 

I have the Jocobs but haven't got round to listening to it properly yet

 

After listening some recordings I think is better to have at least a couple of them. Petrou sounds really good, good voice balanced and the orchestra is the best. If Jacobs would have recorded it again with Freiburger Barockorchester it would be better than the one with Concerto Koln. Soon I will listen some excerpts of Alan Curtis in Naive.

 

Spot on with this.:cheers:

 

What about DVD/Blu-ray?

 

Thank you for your recommendations. I am making a big effort and purchasing all those with period instruments. Finally I got Minkowski, Petrou and Jacobs (I finally purchased this one separately with its own booklet)

I am also thinking about Curtis in naive. Good casting.

 

I am also thinking about Curtis in naive. Good casting.

Do a good search, they ( Naive) are no longer in the business of making records.

 

I didn't know about this. I guess this is the reason some orchestras/conductors are recording for Decca.

 

This is my favorite opera by Händel! His treatment of Cleopatra was exceptional. The only recordings I have listened to were Jacobs' with Concerto Köln, from Harmonia Mundi, and Leitner's transposed German version with the Munich Philharmonic, from Orfeo d'Or. I liked both.

 

I'm listening to it right now

Minkowski!

 

Awesome! Check out Lucia Popp as Cleopatra in Kommt das Schiff, vom Sturm zerschlagen
(Act III, Scene 7). I think this is sung in German though.
Here are the clips.

 

Awesome! Check out Lucia Popp as Cleopatra in Kommt das Schiff, vom Sturm zerschlagen
(Act III, Scene 7).
Here are the clips.

Like, like, like and guess what I just ordered
€ 13.00 shipped.

 

For Cleopatra freaks, here is a nice set and Sonia Prina is on a few tracks (must be Cesare):

 

speaking of Natalie Dessay. guess she is not doing opera any more??!!

 

Don't get this release as it is poor sound:

Of this one, an Amazon reviewer says,

This recording is the same as Handel: Julius Caesar - only that, despite the image suggesting otherwise, the other one has been digitially remastered. We ended up being so disappointed by this version that we bought the other one too - and what a difference! Even though this one costs significantly less, it is still a waste of money. Unfortunately, both recordings have no libretto.

and a comment to that says,

They all have been digitally remastered. The difference is that Orfeo is an official label for this recording and had the best possible source, a master tape, while this label probably lifted the music off some worn LP or radio broadcast. But you are right that the other one, Orfeo, is a much better sounding set, if somewhat expensive.

UPDATE:
There is a third set available out there on Verona Records:

An Amazon reviewer says (my bold),

I never thought that this recording could be still available, as Verona went bust many years ago. Good news for lovers of this wonderful opera, since the performance is spectacular, the sound is very good, and the price is right. One can buy this recoding on three labels: Orfeo, Opera D'Oro, and Verona. Opera D'Oro has the worst sound among the three, while Orfeo has the best. Orfeo is an official label of this recording and they used master tapes to create their set, but it costs about $50, so for the budget-concsious I would recommend Verona set. It sounds slightly worse than the Orfeo, but noticeably better than the Opera D'Oro.

So, given the Orfeo set is very expensive and the D'oro set is very poor sound quality, when I found this Verona set for only $11.17 on Amazon I grabbed it!

And even better, another reviewer of the Verona set says,

Along with nearly four hours of Handel's music, the box comes with an English-German libretto

So three different releases...no there are four as an opera discography site says of Leitner's Biulio Cesare:

Compact Disc; - Verona CD 27035/7 {3CDS}; Orfeo C 35194.3 {3CDS} (1994)ª; Melodram MEL 37059 {3CDS}; Opera d'Oro OPD 1192 {3CDS} (1999)ª

WARNING: After receiving the Verona set, I found it is no better than the D'oro set. Get the Orfeo set if you want good sound.

 

Just found an interesting recording but sound is a boxy and distant. Might be worth it for the cast though. Here are sound clips.

 

Caballé singing Handel....I would be careful if I where you.

 

Thanks, but I am not buying this one. The sound is horrible. However, Caballe is not foreign to Baroque or Handel. This for example:

1. Ercole Sul Termodonte - Chiare Onde 2:04
2. Bajazut - Sposa Son Diprezzata 4:56
3. Griselda - Agitata Da Due Venti 2:31
4. Vieni, Vieni 2:29
5. Un Certo Non So Che 3:24
6. Rinaldo- Lascia Ch'io Pianga 5:11
7. Ezio- Ah, Non Son Io Que Parlo 6:10
8. Atlanta- Care Selve 2:58
9. Theodora- With Darkness Dee 4:12
10. Theodora- Oh That I On Wings Could 3:44
11. Jeptha- Leb Wohl, Leb Wohl 4:07
12. Ave Maria 6:02
13. Susceptit Israel 4:06

 

Interesting Review on the sung-in-German Giulio Cesare.

 

Popp is perhaps an ideal Cleopatra, most beautiful and fresh in tone with something appropriately charismatic about the voice-character, and sensitive to the developments of this woman whom Handel has invested with such fascinating life.

Can't wait for it to arrive. :angel: