20:00, Fri 15th – Sat 16th November 2019 at Trinity College Chapel
Michaelmas Week 5
Cleopatra and her brother Tolomeo are joint rulers of Egypt, a vassal kingdom of the Roman Empire, but each one secretly wants to rule on their own. After being humiliated by Cesare, Tolomeo decides to devise a scheme to kill him. He plots to use the panic and confusion that ensues to overthrow Cesare's and Cleopatra’s armies and become the sole king of Egypt. To help him, he employs his general, Achilla. However, because of Sesto’s ambitions to avenge the death of his father Pompeo, slain by Tolomeo, and Achilla’s infinite love for Cornelia, Pompeo’s widow, things will not go according to plan for Cleopatra’s greedy brother...
Meanwhile, can the romance sparked between Cesare and Cleopatra overcome disguise, tempests and tyranny?
This exquisite opera, performed in Italian, brings together some of Cambridge's finest Baroque musicians, opera singers, actors and dancers for two nights of tragedy, revenge and romance.