Dorota Szczepańska: Cleopatra has always been on my list of dream roles
The opera “Julius Caesar in Egypt” by Georg Friedrich Handel returns to the stage of the Warsaw Chamber Opera. Dorota Szczepańska plays the role of Cleopatra, the last queen of Hellenistic Egypt, whose story has captivated people for over two millennia. Agata Ubysz speaks with the artist before the March performances.
Back in October, you sang Cleopatra in Warsaw in the opera “Julius Caesar in Egypt.” What character did the audience see?
I think they saw a very colorful person! This role offers incredible opportunities not only for vocal expression but also for acting, as Cleopatra is portrayed in many different facets: from a flirtatious woman to a courageous and resigned one. Actually, every time I step onto the stage, I reveal a new side of this extraordinary character, including different appearances – in this performance, I change costumes seven times!
What musical challenges does the role pose?
Each aria has its challenges, and it is a truly expanded role. You have to know how to manage your energy wisely. In the Warsaw Chamber Opera’s production, directed by Włodzimierz Nurkowski, Cleopatra’s character is very dynamic, so there are physical endurance challenges as well. During “V’adoro pupille,” I am carried by wonderful dancers (warm greetings!), and when singing “Da tempeste,” I dance. I must admit, it took me some time to learn how to move on stage in a convincing way while singing without losing my breath.
A challenge then?
Of course, but it is also a huge joy! The role of Cleopatra contributes to my development on many levels, forces me to cross boundaries, and at the same time, it is the fulfillment of a dream, as it has always been on my list of favorite roles. I hope I will have many more opportunities to sing it!
Cleopatra gained great power, only to lose everything at the end of her life. However, Handel’s opera shows only a fragment of this fascinating beauty’s life and ends with the triumphant scene of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra in Alexandria.
Cleopatra is depicted here long before she won over Mark Antony and committed suicide. However, we can already observe suicidal traits in her personality. When she is defended, she is certain Caesar has fallen on the battlefield. Imprisoned by Ptolemy and at his mercy, she decides to kill herself by allowing a viper to bite her. You can see how proud and strong-willed she is, with a powerful need for everything to happen on her terms. Cleopatra does not accept failure.
Among the roles you have already performed, is there one that was particularly emotionally demanding?
One of the more difficult roles for me was Maria in Schubert’s “Lazarus”, which I sang during the Potsdamer Winteropera. The production was directed by Frederic Wake-Walker, and the conductor was Trevor Pinnock. The whole story is about the death of Lazarus. There are not many plot twists; everything revolves around the theme of dying. A lot was happening in the inner world, and the emphasis was primarily on the depth of the experience. I remember we were crying a lot. The performance touched delicate private strings in each of the artists, and it took quite a long time before we managed to gain emotional distance.
Thank you for the conversation.