Agrippina (opera)
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Agrippina is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel - specifically, it is an opera seria. The libretto was written by Vincenzo Grimani. The premiere was in January 1710 in Venice, with a cast consisting of some of the leading singers of time in Northern Italy, such as Antonio Carli (here the leading bass) and Diamante Scarabelli.
Written when Handel was just 24 years old, it is one of his first operas, and demonstrated the composer's assimilation of the Italian style of opera at the time. It is the story of Agrippina, the mother of Nero, as she plots the downfall of the Roman Emperor Claudius. The story has the traditional complexity of dramatic works of the time, but is not swamped by it, as many other works for the stage are.
Singers and Vocal ranges
- Agrippina - mezzo-soprano
- Nero - soprano
- Pallas - baritone
- Narcissus - alto
- Lesbus - baritone
- Otho - contralto (originally performed by a woman, now generally represented by a countertenor)
- Poppea - mezzo-soprano
- Claudius - bass
- The goddess Juno - mezzo-soprano
Original cast
- Agrippina - Margherita Durastanti
- Nero - Valeriano Pellegrini (soprano castrato)
- Pallas - Giuseppe Maria Boschi
- Narcissus - Giuliano Alberti (alto castrato)
- Lesbus - Nicola Pasini (apparently a priest)
- Otho - Francesca Vanini-Boschi
- Poppea - Diamante Maria Scarabelli
- Claudius - Antonio Francesco Carli
Synopsis
- Act 1: Agrippina, wife of Claudius, has received news that her husband has died at sea. Immediately her mind turns as to how to secure the throne for Nero, her son by a previous marriage. She summons him to her and orders to him to go and give grain to the people in order to buy popular support. After he leaves to carry out his instructions, she summons in turn her two freedmen, Pallas and Narcissus, both in love with Agrippina (which she knows perfectly well, but unbeknownst to each other). She promises them her love if Nero becomes Emperor. They both leave for the Capitol to acclaim Nero as the new ruler. When Agrippina summons the Senate to inform them of Claudius's death, she asks them to choose a new Emperor, and Pallas and Narcissus immediately cry out Nero's name.
- Agrippina and Nero ascend the throne, but after a flourish of trumpets Claudius's servant Lesbus arrives to announce that his master is not dead after all, but was saved from death at sea by Otho, the commander of the army, who then himself arrives to declare that Claudius, out of gratitude, has promised him the throne. The conspirators are dismayed, but Otho then confides to Agrippina that he loves Poppea, a Roman beauty, far more than the throne. Agrippina knows that Claudius also loves Poppea, and realises that her schemes have not quite been entirely defeated.
- She goes to Poppea's house, and having had it confirmed to her that Poppea does truly love Otho, then tells her that Otho has struck a bargain with Claudius: he can have the throne only if he yields up Poppea to the current Emperor. She suggests that Poppea should therefore punish Otho by telling Claudius that he has ordered Poppea to refuse Claudius and give herself to himself alone; at this Claudius will be so angry that he will strip Otho of his claim to the throne. Claudius duly arrives, and all proceeds exactly as Agrippina has planned. Poppea is rescued from Claudius's amatory demands by the arrival (as planned) of Agrippina, and Claudius is forced to flee.
- Act 2: Meanwhile, Pallas and Narcissus have discovered that Agrippina has tricked them both, and decide to band together to escape the web of treachery in which they are embroiled. Otho arrives, nervous about his forthcoming coronation. Claudius also enters, riding on a triumphal chariot. His subjects all acclaim his glory (Britain has just been conquered), but when Otho goes up to him to claim his promised reward, Claudius brutally repulses him, calling him a traitor. Otho is dumbfounded, and in turn appeals to Agrippina, Poppea and Nero for support, but they all scorn him, plunging him into despair.
- Poppea, however, seeing her beloved's genuine grief, wonders whether he might not be innocent after all. Seeing Otho, lost in thought, approach, she lies down as if in sleep in her garden, and recounts in "sleep" what Agrippina has told her earlier. Seeing her then "wake", Otho cannot restrain himself and furiously protests his innocence. Poppea realises how Agrippina has tricked her and swears revenge. The latter, meanwhile, has ordered first Pallas to kill first Narcissus and then Otho, and Narcissus to kill both Pallas and Otho. However, this time the freedmen are not fooled, but Agrippina is more succcessful when it comes to Claudius; she tells him that Otho still plots for the throne, and to stifle his ambitions Claudius should abdicate in favour of Nero. Claudius agrees, eager to be with Poppea again.
- Act 3: In the mean time, Poppea has worked out a plan. She instructs Otho to hide himself behind a curtain in her bedroom, and to remain silent, whatever he may hear. Nero arrives; he also loves Poppea, but she tells him that his mother is coming, and persuades him to hide as well. Claudius enters, but Poppea complains that he does not really love her. Claudius reminds her that he punished Otho for her sake, but Poppea suddenly announces that he misheard her; it was not Otho who insulted her, but Nero. To prove it, she calls Nero out of hiding, but Claudius interrupts his ardent wooing and contemptuously sends him packing. She then gets rid of Claudius by telling him that he cannot give him her love while Agrippina holds such anger towards her. She brings Otho out of hiding, and the two swear everlasting love to each other.
- Meanwhile the opera moves to its climax; Nero tells his mother of his sudden fall from grace, and asks her to protect him; while simultaneously Pallas and Narcissus have told Claudius of the original plot to gain the throne for Nero, so that when Agrippina urges Claudius to render the throne up to Nero, he accuses her of attempting to rob him of the throne. She admits that she sought the throne for Nero, but claims that it was only to prevent intrigues among the people and Senate, and to therefore safeguard the throne for Claudius. Claudius is convinced, and Agrippina further tells him to abandon Poppea, as she is Otho's lover, but Claudius contradicts her, informing her that it was, in fact, Nero. When, Poppea, Otho, and Nero arrive, Claudius accuses Nero of having hidded himself in Poppea's apartment, which Nero cannot and does not deny. Suddenly, the Emperor announces that Otho shall have the throne after all, and that Nero shall marry Poppea. But this solution pleases nobody, so Claudius gives Poppea to Otho, and wishing to see peace at last, gives up the throne to Nero. Finally, he summons the goddess Juno to bless the empire and the betrothed.
Performance history
For many years Agrippina lay unperformed, but is staged with more frequency today. The English National Opera company will perform "Agrippina" in the February of 2007.Recordings
John Eliot Gardiner, The English Baroque Soloists (3 CDs) - 1997 - Philips 438 009-2
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