Julius Caesar

Love, rage and revenge – director and choreographer Clara Svärd has transferred Handel’s 16th century opera to the way middle school children rapidly turn from play to being dead serious. In Sophie Helsing’s libretto the historic characters have become children in a school playground. Conflict and infatuation tear the children apart, until they find their way back to friendship. Magdalena Åsberg’s set shows the school playground both as a crime scene and a stage.

What happens when the game gets out of hand? Sesto is a boy who mourns his dead father and does almost anything to join the other children – and they exploit his weakness. But when Julius and Cleo develop feelings for each other it upsets the equilibrium of the group. Young Opera present Julius Caesar, Handel’s classic opera about passion and rivalry, here in a school playground where conflicts surface and loyalties quickly shift.

Visiting the performance with a school class? Download our teacher's guide here

Recommended for ages 10 and up.