ST. LOUIS — Audiences can now watch the love story of Caesar and Cleopatra come to life in a modern society at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis (OTSL).

This fresh take on “Julius Caesar” stars two women in the lead roles –Emily Pogorelc as Cleopatra and Sarah Mesko as Julius Caesar. Mesko made her debut as Caesar singing mezzo-soprano.

“Some of the roles that are traditionally distributed to countertenors have gone to mezzo-sopranos,” said Daniela Candillari, conductor for “Julius Caesar” and principal conductor for OTSL.

“It’s been nice mixing tradition and mixing newer approaches, and things that have also within the last 300 years have somehow become part of the practice.”

The focus of this production, Candillari said, was on the interpersonal relationships between the characters within the historical context, but in a modern setting and society.

“If you haven’t been to the opera, this would be a great first opera,” said Seán Curran, choreographer for the show.

“There is certainly history, romance, politics, great singing, (and) great, beautiful music,” but “you might see yourself reflected in Julius Caesar or Cleopatra because it is a modern dress production and not swords and sandals,” he added.

This production has a lot of choreography and features four dancers who play Cleopatra’s close friends and ladies in waiting.

Inspirations for some of the choreography came from popular dance moves of the 1970s such as “the bump” and “the bus stop,” according to Curran.

The big, show-stopping number resembles a Las Vegas showgirl fan dance, he said.

“It adds a wonderful choreographic symmetry and what you call in theater, a framing device, for our Cleopatra,” Curran said. “The dancers with movement can tickle the eye just as the music will tickle the ear.”

“You’re seeing vivid pictures come to life, but also this incredibly moving music that rouses so much emotion and makes you feel deeply,” he added.

The character Cornelia is made to be a cleaning lady when she is captured, instead of being sent to a prison.

“In our production, there’s quite a bit of visual storytelling, and dancers bring not just dancing, but a wonderful ability to inhabit behavior,” Curran said.

“It’s really a wonderful production and I think the dancers add a lot.”

Candillari said she hopes audiences fall in love with the music and the story and have a good experience at the opera.

“We have an incredible cast. We have an incredible orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony,” she said. “It’s been such a fun process that I think always comes through in a production.”

“If people get along and there’s a creative energy in the room, I think that makes performances and productions so much more special and so much more personal in some ways,” Candillari added.

Curran is looking forward to audiences becoming immersed in the production from the costumes and performers to the stage direction and music.

“I want time to stop for people,” he said. “You can leave the show having a very cathartic experience. I’m all about the healing capacity of the arts, whether you’re a performer having a cathartic experience or an audience member having an emotional experience.”

Candillari mentioned the audience members contribute to making performances come alive and add another layer of interpretation.

“The idea of time stopping and being somewhere and experiencing everything that this moment has to offer is a really, really exciting moment for us and for the audiences,” she said.

Performances run through June 28. For tickets, visit OTSL.