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On the Ides of March, March 15, in 44 B.C. (the 74th day in the Roman calendar) Julius Caesar was assassinated as he was warned by a soothsayer. Handel illustrated the situation that a wary, distrustful Caesar finds himself in. Convinced he is about to be betrayed, Caesar describes himself as a hunter tracking his prey – and lo and behold, that is exactly we hear in the music (Burton-Hill).
"Giulio Cesare in Egitto" ("Julius Caesar in Egypt", HWV 17), is an Italian opera in three acts written for the Royal Academy of Music by George Frederic Handel in 1724. This is one of most beautiful Handel Arias, originally composed for castrati (but now often sung by countertenors as prepubescent castration for this purpose was banned in 1870 in Europe).
The recording I chose was by Dame Sarah Connolly, mezzo-soprano, who displays a rare combination of great singing with great acting. The voice of mezzo-soprano sounds more natural and solid than countertenors. There is also a beautiful extensive solo natural horn obbligato, the predecessor to the modern-day (French) horn.
Va tacito e nascosto,
The wise hunter
抜け目の無い狩人は
Quand’avido è di preda,
seeing prey
一度獲物を見つけると、
Làstuto cacciator.
Goes silently and stealthily.
足音を忍ばせて、そうっとやって来る．
E chi è a mal far disposto,
And he who intends evil
そのように悪事を抱く者は
Non brama che si veda
Will not wish to show
L’inganno del suo cor.
the deceit in his heart….
心の策略が人に知られるのを望まない
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