THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601280137
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Having brought Wagner to Norfolk for the first time, Virginia Opera goes two-for-two next season with ``Julius Caesar,'' its first work by George Frideric Handel.
The company's 22nd season opens with ``Lucia di Lammermoor,'' the powerful bel canto by Gaetano Donizetti, and includes Mozart's crowd-pleaser, ``The Magic Flute,'' and ``I Pagliacci,'' Ruggerio Leoncavallo's timeless tragedy.
``Julius Caesar'' premiered in 1724 at the Royal Academy of Music, when Handel, one of the chief architects of the ornamental, late Baroque style of music, was living in London. He later turned to the oratorios for which he is best remembered.
Scholars have noted that Handel's orchestration and the descriptive music in ``Caesar's'' pastoral scenes not only anticipated the innovations that Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven brought to the Classical period, but those of the Romantics - Tchaikovsky, Wagner and Verdi.
Soprano Sujung Kim, who wowed audiences as Gilda in this season's opening production of ``Rigoletto,'' will sing the role of Cleopatra. She also has the title role in ``Lucia di Lammermoor.''
For ticket information, call 623-1223 or 877-2550 (Peninsula). by CNB