April 19, 23 (matinee), 26, 27 (matinee), 30 (matinee), May 2, 2025
Open Rehearsals on April 5 & 12 from 2-5pm
Running Time: Approx. 3 hours and 15 minutes, including one intermission

Opera by G.F. Handel, premiered at the King’s Theatre in London, 1724
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Production by R.B. Schlather
With early music band Ruckus

Visionary opera director and Hudson resident R.B. Schlather reunites with early music band Ruckus in April 2025 for six performances of Handel’s baroque blockbuster GIULIO CESARE. Repeating the successful alchemy of RODELINDA (2023), Schlather brings together area residents, rising young stars, and some of the finest baroque interpreters today to share his passion for Handel in the intimacy of New York State’s oldest surviving theater.

From Director, R.B. Schlather:
“These characters may have ancient names, but they’re completely modern. Giulio Cesare is a wild ride—packed with intrigue, danger, seduction, sharp wit, and gut-wrenching drama. Think of it as Handel’s version of a pulp fiction thriller, inspired by Julius Caesar’s high-stakes escapades in Egypt and his scandalous love affair with the young, cunning Cleopatra. Back in Handel’s day, performers rocked contemporary fashion, played against minimal backdrops, and lit up the stage with raw charisma. People came for the thrill—the singers, the spectacle, the physicality, and the sheer energy of the music. That’s the vibe for this Handel series in Hudson: bold, visceral, and unapologetically thrilling.”

Performance Dates:
OPENING NIGHT: Saturday, April 19 at 6pm
Wednesday, April 23 at 3pm*
Saturday, April 26 at 7pm
Sunday, April 27 at 3pm*
Wednesday, April 30 at 3pm*
Friday, May 2 at 7pm

*Followed by a discussion with director R.B. Schlather, dramaturg Joseph Cermatori, and members of the cast

Tickets:
Tier 1: Reserved Seating starts at $95 (plus $7 fee)
Tier 2: General Admission: Mid-Center Section/Side Aisle starts at $65 (plus $5 fee)
Tier 3: General Admission, Rear and Side Seating, far sides may be partially obstructed starts at $30 (plus $5 fee)

Residency in partnership with Kaatsbaan Cultural Park

CREATIVE TEAM
Associate Producer: Daniel Stermer
Costume Design: Terese Wadden
Wardrobe Supervisor: Quinn Czejkowski
Lighting Design: Masha Tsimring
Lighting Associate: Vittoria Orlando
Dramaturg: Joseph Cermatori
Scenic Associate: Jiaying Zhang
Assistant Director: Michael Hofmann
Movement/Fight/Intimacy: Skye Bronfenbrenner
Hair and Makeup Design: Matia Emsellem
Stage Manager: LJ McCaw
Supertitles: Steven Jude Tietjen
Supertitles Operator: Emanuel Cohen
Music Staff: David Sytkowski and Nico Gomez Amin

Video shot and edited by Tobin Del Cuore. Produced by Imagination + Muscle Productions 

Hudson Hall is grateful for the generous support from the following for making this production possible:

The Schlather family, in memory of Robert B. Schlather, Esq.
Asbjorn Lunde Foundation
Serra and Glenn Butash
Tiger Baron Foundation
John “Jack” Roberts 
Sarah Solomon
Northlands Foundation
Joan Shafran & Rob Haimes Foundation
George & Jodi Lagonia; Lagonia Construction
Consigli Construction
Williams Lumber & Home Centers
Clarmont Coffee

Special thank to Hudson Wine Merchants for providing the concessions for Giulio Cesare.

Kaatsbaan Cultural Park for partnering with Hudson Hall to provide an artist residency.

Hudson Hall’s programs are made possible with support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.