De Niese Spectacularly Subs for Ailing Dessay in Met's New Giulio Cesare
The groans were audible--no, powerful--when the Metropolitan Opera's General Manager Peter Gelb stepped out in front of the curtain on the second night of the company's new David McVicar production of Handel's GIULIO CESARE. They grew even louder as he announced that soprano Natalie Dessay was ill and would not be singing the pivotal role of Cleopatra. But soprano Danielle de Niese brought a sensational performance t…