Campbell Vertesi

I wondered about this - I've only ever heard/seen Tolomeo as a countertenor but I know there are recordings with mezzos, basses and so on. As you say, Handel roles (especially the male ones) tend to get a bit complicated like that. Anyway you can see the original cast listed here - http://www.haendel.it/composizioni/opere/giulio.htm. The first Tolomeo was Baerenstadt, a castrato contralto. Good luck finding one of them now so it's all up for grabs, really, by anyone who can wrap their vocal chords around the music. A bass as a fifteen year old seems believable enough to me in any case, when you think about the era it's set in and the lifespan these people might have expected - not to mention Tolomeo's position. Fifteen for him isn't really the same as fifteen for someone now, he'd be far more grown up than your average teenager. (Although if you see the Negrin production for Opera Australia, he's *exactly* like an adolescent and a seriously creepy one at that.)

And even Cleopatra can't be counted on - mostly a lyric coloratura, yes - but she's also been sung by Magdalena Kozena and Cecilia Bartoli, both of whom are still at least nominally mezzos. Bit of a free for all really I think!