Agrippina (Handel)

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Work data
Original title: Agrippina
Title page of the libretto from 1709

Title page of the libretto from 1709

Shape: Opera seria
Original language: Italian
Music: georg Friedrich Handel
Libretto : Vincenzo Grimani
Premiere: December 26, 1709
Place of premiere: Venice , Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo
Playing time: about 3 hours
Place and time of the action: Rome at the time of Emperor Claudius , before 54 AD
people
  • Agrippina ( soprano ), wife of Emperor Claudio
  • Claudio ( bass ), Emperor of Rome
  • Poppea (soprano), noble Roman, later Nerone's wife
  • Ottone ( old ), general of the emperor
  • Nerone (soprano), son of Agrippina from his first marriage
  • Pallante (bass), courtier
  • Narciso (alto), courtier
  • Lesbo (bass), servant of the emperor
  • Giunone (old)
  • Court and entourage of the emperor, officers, soldiers, slaves, servants, people

Agrippina ( HWV 6) is an opera ( Dramma per musica ) in three acts by Georg Friedrich Händel .

Creation & libretto

Christmas 1709 brought Handel the greatest success to date as an opera composer. The performance of his second Italian opera after Rodrigo on December 26th in opera-spoiled Venice was a sensation. This was later reported by John Mainwaring :

“The audience was so enchanted with this performance, that a stranger who should have seen the manner in which they were affected, would have imagined they had all been distracted. The theater, at almost every pause, resounded with shouts and acclamations of 'viva il caro Sassone!' and other expressions of approval too extravagant to be mentioned. They were thunderstruck with the grandeur and sublimity of his stile: for never had they known till then all the powers of harmony and modulation so closely arrayed, and so sorcibly combined. "

“The audience at the Handel performance was so charmed that a stranger of the kind with which people were moved would have thought they were all mad. Whenever there was a short break, the audience shouted: Viua il caro Sassone, long live the dear Saxon! along with other expressions of their approval which were so dissolute that I do not want to think of them. Everyone was, as it were, moved by the thunder by the grandeur and majesty of his style: for one had never before heard all the forces of harmony and melody in their arrangement, so closely and so powerfully connected. (Translation by Johann Mattheson , 1761) "

- John Mainwaring : Memoirs of the Life of the Late George Frederic Handel. London 1760.

Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani , initially Habsburg imperial ambassador to the Holy See , was appointed Viceroy of Naples by Joseph I in 1708 . His family owned the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo (now known as Teatro Malibran ) in Venice and for this the composition commission from Agrippina was given to Handel. Grimani himself wrote the textbook for it, making it one of the few original opera libretti that Handel set to music. The work was probably composed in Rome as early as 1707/1708, because the changed or deleted parts of the autograph indicate that Handel later had to adapt the score for the stage conditions in Venice. Numerous Handel researchers ( Chrysander , Lang , Strohm , Baselt ) are of this opinion . This contrasts with the fact that the manuscript was written on Venetian paper. Since Handel cannot have reached Venice before mid-November, there were only five weeks left for the composition and rehearsal of the work. However, this would not be an unusual timing for Handel, especially since he adopted a relatively large number of arias from earlier works.

Cardinal and Viceroy of Naples Vincenzo Grimani

Following the premiere on December 26, 1709 in the Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo, the opera saw 27 performances there during the following carnival season . Cast of the premiere:

In Naples the work was played on February 15, 1713 in the Teatro San Bartolomeo with musical additions by Francesco Mancini and possibly under his direction. Also in Hamburg in the Theater am Gänsemarkt there was a production between 1718 and 1722 that ran on almost thirty evenings under the direction of Matthias Christoph Wideburg . The reason for the first performance of this series was the reopening of the Hamburg Opera House by the new theater manager, the Mecklenburg court councilor Johann Georg Gumprecht . After all, the Imperial Ballroom on Tummelplatz in Vienna was the scene of a performance of a pasticcio in 1719, in which, in addition to the music by Handel, chants by Andrea Stefano Fiorè and Antonio Caldara were incorporated.

It was not until February 1943 that the opera could be seen again in Handel's native Halle in the local theater under the direction of Richard Kraus as part of the 12th Halle Handel Festival (old count). The first performance of the piece in historical performance practice was seen in Göttingen on June 14, 1991 with the Capella Savaria under the direction of Nicholas McGegan .

action

Historical and literary background

Grimani used people from Roman history as characters, even if the historical events described actually occurred at different times. These are passed down in the Annales (11th – 12th book) of Tacitus and in De vita Caesarum (5th book: Vita divi Claudi ) of Suetonius :

Agrippina the Younger was married in her third marriage to her uncle, the Roman Emperor Claudius , from AD 49 . She soon tried to secure the succession to the throne for her twelve-year-old son from her first marriage, Nero , although Claudius himself had a son, Britannicus . A year later, Claudius adopted Nero, making him his designated successor.

The most important military expansion of the Roman Empire at this time was the conquest of Britain in AD 43, during which Claudius almost died in a storm during the sea voyage (Suetonius: Vita divi Claudi 17.2). Sixteen days after conquering Camulodunum ( Colchester ), Claudius left the new province and returned to Rome in a triumphal procession .

The general Otho and his lover Poppaea Sabina also appear, who in 58, d. H. married four years after Claudius' death, before Nero hitched her a year later and took her as his wife.

Finally, Pallas and Narcissus are also mentioned in Tacitus and Suetonius, the former also as a lover of Agrippina. Only the servant Lesbo is a made-up person.

first act

Agrippina's room . Agrippina has received the news that Claudio was killed in a storm at sea. Now she tries to convince Nero to reach for the Caesar's crown. He should mingle with the people, make himself sympathetic, but keep the news a secret. Nero wants to follow his mother's advice and always revere her ( Con saggio tuo consiglio , no. 1).

To help the company succeed, Agrippina also wants to use her confidants Narciso and Pallante, who seek their favor and therefore appear willing to support her plans. First Pallante appears with her. She tells him to go to the Capitol and, when she announces Claudio's death, to bring the name of Nero among the people. If the plan succeeds, Pallante will also increase his influence. Pallante praises Agrippina for the fact that today his happy fate descends from the stars through her ( La mia sorte fortunata No. 2).

Next she lets Narciso come to, whom she instructs in the same way. He too hopes to rule by her side, since he loves her ( Volo pronto, e lieto il core , no. 3). Agrippina remains behind alone and hopes that she will come out of the intrigues that have been set in motion unscathed ( L'alma mia frà le tempeste , No. 4).

Nero hypocritically distributes gifts to those in need on the Capitol and shows himself compassionate for them ( Qual pacer à un cor pietoso , No. 5). Pallante and Narciso are also present, not knowing that the other was inaugurated by Agrippina. Agrippina enters to publicly announce the news of Claudio's death. A new Caesar must now be elected. She takes Nero to the throne and you can hear trumpets. Lesbo announces that Claudio has been saved by the heroic Ottone. Ottone tells of the events and explains that he has been chosen as a thank you to be Claudio's successor. Have Agrippina's plans failed?

Ottone comes to her and reveals that he is not interested in the throne and that he loves Poppea. Agrippina promises to help him. He was worthy of the throne and his love should not be in vain ( Tu ben degno, sei dell'allor , No. 8). Ottone wishes that his hopes will be fulfilled ( Lusinghiera mia speranza , no. 9).

Poppea's room . Poppea looks at herself vainly in the mirror ( Vaghe perle, eletti fiori , No. 10). With Claudio, Nero and Ottone, she has three lovers whom she has previously left in the dark. Claudio has Lesbo announce a nocturnal visit (which Agrippina overhears). Poppea compares love with a fire that penetrates the heart and eats it up ( É un foco quel d'amore , no.11 ).

Agrippina enters and claims that Ottone betrayed Poppea and ceded it to Claudio in exchange for the throne. As proof, she states that Claudio will come to her at night. She gives her advice: Poppea should tell Claudio that Ottone had forbidden her to speak to him. She is said to use her weapons as a woman to get Claudio to deprive Ottone of the succession to the throne. Despite her fears, Agrippina is happy that it will succeed ( Ho un non so che nel cor , no. 12). Poppea is disappointed in Ottone and swears vengeance ( Fa quanto vuoi , no. 13).

Claudio enters Poppea's room and expresses his admiration ( Pur ritorno à rimirarvi , no. 14). Poppea is obstinate and follows Agrippina's advice. Claudio promises that Ottone will not become Caesar. Then he moves closer to Poppea to satisfy his desire ( Vieni, o cara , no. 15). At the last second, Poppea is “saved” by the approach of Agrippina.

Agrippina invokes her friendship with Poppea, who is always free from deception, betrayal and infidelity ( Non ho cor che per amarti , no. 17). Poppea ponders that love turns into anger when one is offended ( Se giunge un dispetto , no. 18).

Second act

The original cast of the opera

Street in Rome . Pallante and Narciso found out that they were both deceived. Now they want to pay her back with the same coin. Ottone is preparing for his role as Caesar, but actually admires beauty more than the throne ( Coronato il crin d'alloro , no. 19).

The choir announces Claudio's arrival ( Di timpani, e trombe , No. 21). He has subjugated Britain and praises the empire that is under the Capitol ( Cade il mondo soggiogato , no. 22). Everyone greets him; When it comes to Ottone's turn, Claudio calls him a traitor. Ottone asks Agrippina for help, who rejects him ( Nulla sperar da me , no. 23). Poppea ( Tuo ben è'l trono , No. 24) and Nero ( Sotto il lauro che hai sul crine , No. 25) do the same . Even Pallante, Narciso and Lesbo are leaving him now that he is no longer in Claudio's favor. Ottone is desperate ( Otton, Otton, qual portensoso fulmine , no. 26) and laments less the loss of the throne than the loss of Poppea ( Voi, che udite il mio lamento , no. 27).

Garden . Poppea wishes that her loved one was really innocent and has pity ( Bella pur nel mio diletto , no. 28). Ottone appears and sings about the fountains in the garden ( Vaghe fonti che mormorando , no. 29). Meanwhile, Poppea pretends to be asleep and calls him a traitor in a dream. When she "wakes up" he invokes his innocence ( Ti vo 'giusta e non pietosa , no. 31). Poppea asks him to come to her room later for another conversation.

It is now clear to her that Agrippina lied to her. One more time she does not want to be betrayed by her ( Ingannata una sol volta , no. 32). Lesbo arrives and asks his master to visit Poppea again. Then Nero appears, whom Poppea also calls into her room for later and to whom she makes promises ( Col peso del tuo amor , no. 33). Nero is happy about the impending enjoyment of love ( Quando invita la donna l'amante , no. 34).

Agrippina sees the success of her intrigues at risk ( Pensieri, pensieri, voi mi tormentate , no. 35/36). Ottone and Poppea can expose the fraud, and Pallante and Narciso trusted them too much. She now orders Pallante to see to the death of Narcisus and Ottones. Pallante expresses his loyalty to her ( Col raggio placido , no. 37). Narciso orders them in the same way to kill Ottone and Pallante. He pretends to hope that her promises will be fulfilled ( Spererò, poi che me dice , no. 38).

Claudio comes to Agrippina admiring. She warns him about Ottone, who allegedly seeks his life. He should make Nero his successor as quickly as possible in order to thwart Ottones plans. Claudio will do whatever she asks him to do ( Basta, che sol tu chieda , no. 39). Agrippina sees herself getting closer to her goal ( Ogni vento, che al porto lo spinga , no. 40).

Third act

Poppea's room with doors in the middle and on the sides . Poppea's plan of revenge gets underway. First, Ottone comes to her and swears his eternal loyalty. She believes him and hides him behind a door. He promises to be quiet and not to draw any wrong conclusions from their subsequent conversation ( Tacerò, pur chè fedele , no. 41).

Next, Nero comes to her. Poppea pretends that she is afraid that Agrippina will come in. She hides him behind another door (but in such a way that he cannot listen). Nero obeys, still lusting after her ( Coll'ardor del tuo bel core , no. 42).

Finally Claudio appears. She succeeds in convincing him that he misunderstood her during their last conversation: It was not Ottone, but Nero, who forbade her to talk to Claudio. He is confused but promises to avenge her. She hides it behind a third door and takes out Nero. When Claudio hears Nero's voice, he is angry and sends him away. Poppea gets rid of Claudio on the pretext that he should appease Agrippina. Claudio thinks that he is the Caesar whom no one commands ( Io di Roma il Giove son , no. 43).

Audio file / audio sample Bel piacere è godere fido amor! ? / i
Aria from Act 3 (No. 45), sung by Alyssa Veteto

Now that Poppea has shown that she is ready to take on the powerful, Ottone promises to be loyal to her at all costs. He is happy to have Poppea ( Pur ch'io ti stringo al sen , no. 44), and so is Poppea ( Bel piacere è godere fido amor!, No. 45).

Imperial Hall . Nero reports what happened to Agrippina ( Come nube che fugge dal vento , no. 46). Pallante and Narciso then report to Claudio about Agrippina's first intrigue. Claudio confronts Agrippina. She apologizes that she only elevated Nero to the throne because she believed Claudio was dead. When the news of Claudio's arrival came, Nero humbly emerged from the throne. All of this is confirmed by Pallante and Narciso. Agrippina asks Claudio to free himself from hatred and to recognize her love and loyalty ( Se vuoi pace, oh volto amato , no. 47).

Ottone, Nero and Poppea join them. Since the story of the love between Nero and Poppea was played to Claudio, he proposes a marriage between the two; Ottone is to be his successor. Understandably, nobody agrees: Nero prefers to become Caesar; Ottone and Poppea prefer to get married. So Claudio fulfills all wishes - Agrippina is also satisfied, since she has achieved her goal of making her son a Caesar. The participants gather for the final choir ( Lieto il trebo increspi l'onda , No. 48). Juno descends with her entourage to give the blessings of heaven ( V'accendano le tede , no. 49).

music

With the music for his sixth opera, Handel created such a high degree of dramaturgical flow and musical cohesion for the first time that the opera is considered his first masterpiece, even though only five arias of this opera, which is so acclaimed for its novelty, have been newly composed. Many movements go back to other works from the Italian period. The Handel Works Directory lists 49 such borrowings of own material alone. There are also numerous pieces that use musical ideas from Reinhard Keiser's Die Roman Unrest or: Die Nobelmüthige Octavia (Hamburg 1705) and this indicates that Handel might have taken their music with him to Italy (he had a complete copy of the Opera made), but at least that it made a great impression on the twenty-year-old in Hamburg. Handel also borrowed from Johann Mattheson , Arcangelo Corelli and Jean-Baptiste Lully . On the other hand, Agrippina later served as a source of musical ideas for Handel himself in London, especially in a number of oratorios.

Structure of the opera

first act

  • Aria (Nerone) - Con saggio tuo consiglio
  • Aria (Pallante) - La mia sorte fortunata
  • Aria (Narciso) - Volo pronto, e lieto il core
  • Aria (Agrippina) - L'alma mia fra le tempeste
  • Arioso (Nerone) - Qual piacer a un cor pietoso
  • Quartetto (Agrippina, Nerone, Pallante, Narciso) - Il tuo figlio merta sol scettro e corone
  • Arietta (Lesbo) - Allegrezza! Claudio giunge
  • Aria (Agrippina) - Tu ben degno sei dell'allor
  • Aria (Ottone) - Lusinghiera mia speranza
  • Aria (Poppea) - Vaghe pearl, eletti fiori
  • Aria (Poppea) - È un foco quel d'amore
  • Aria (Agippina) - Ho un non so che nel cor
  • Aria (Poppea) - Fa 'quanto vuoi, li scherni tuoi
  • Aria (Claudio) - Pur ritorno a rimirarvi
  • Arietta (Claudio) - Vieni, oh cara
  • Terzetto (Poppea, Claudio, Lesbo) - E quando mai
  • Aria (Agrippina) - Non ho cor che per amarti
  • Aria (Poppea) - Se giunge un dispetto

Second act

  • Aria (Ottone) - Coronato il crin d'alloro
  • Coro - Di timpani e trombe
  • Aria (Claudio) - Cade il mondo soggiogato
  • Aria (Agrippina) - Nulla sperar da me
  • Aria (Poppea) - Tuo ben è il trono
  • Aria (Nerone) - Sotto il lauro che hai sul crine
  • Recitativo e Aria (Ottone) - Otton, qual portentoso fulmine è questi? - Voi che udite il mio lamento
  • Aria (Poppea) - Bella pure nel mio diletto
  • Arioso (Ottone) - Vaghe fonti, che mormorando
  • Aria (Ottone) - Ti vo 'giusta e non pietosa
  • Aria (Poppea) - Ingannata una sol volta
  • Aria (Poppea) - Col peso del tuo amor
  • Aria (Nerone) - Quando invita la donna l'amante
  • Aria (Agrippina) - Pensieri, voi mi tormentate
  • Aria (Pallante) - Col raggio placido della speranza
  • Aria (Narciso) - Spererò, poiché mel dice
  • Aria (Claudio) - Basta che sol tu chieda
  • Aria (Agrippina) - Ogni vento ch'al porto lo spinga

Third act

  • Aria (Ottone) - Tacerò, pur che fedele
  • Aria (Nerone) - Coll'ardor del tuo bel core
  • Aria (Claudio) - Io di Roma il Giove sono
  • Aria (Ottone) - Pur ch'io ti stringa al sen
  • Aria (Poppea) - Bel piacere è godere fido amor
  • Aria (Nerone) - Come nube che fugge dal vento
  • Aria (Agrippina) - Se vuoi pace, o volto amato
  • Coro - Lieto il Tebro increspi l'onda
  • Aria (Giunone) - V'accendano le tede i raggi delle stelle

orchestra

Two recorders , two oboes , two trumpets , timpani , strings, basso continuo (violoncello, lute, harpsichord).

Discography (selection)

  • Mondo Musica MFOH 10810 (1983): Margarita Zimmermann (Agrippina), Günter von Kannen (Claudio), Carmen Balthrop (Poppea), Bernadette Manca de Nissa (Ottone), Martine Dupuy (Nerone), Giorgio Surjan (Pallante), Derek Lee Ragin (Narciso), Orazio Mori (Lesbo), Cinzia De Mola (Giunone)
    Orchestra Giovanile del Veneto “Pedrollo” de Vicenza; Dir. Christopher Hogwood (209 min)
  • Harmonia Mundi HMU 907063-5 (1991): Sally Bradshaw (Agrippina), Nicholas Isherwood (Claudio), Lisa Saffer (Poppea), Drew Minter (Ottone), Wendy Hill (Nerone), Michael Dean (Pallante), Ralf Popken (Narciso ), Béla Szilagyi (Lesbo), Gloria Banditelli (Giunone)
    Capella Savaria; Dir. Nicholas McGegan (206 min)
  • Philips 438 009-2 (1992): Della Jones (Agrippina), Alastair Miles (Claudio), Donna Brown (Poppea), Michael Chance (Ottone), Derek Lee Ragin (Nerone), George Mosley (Pallante), Jonathan Peter Kenny ( Narciso), Julian Clarkson (Lesbo), Anne Sofie von Otter (Giunone)
    English Baroque Soloists ; Dir. John Eliot Gardiner (218 min)
  • Dynamic DYN 533431 (2003): Véronique Gens (Agrippina), Nigel Smith (Claudio), Ingrid Perruche (Poppea), Thierry Grégoire (Ottone), Philippe Jaroussky (Nerone), Bernard Deletré (Pallante), Fabrice Di Falco (Narciso), Alain Buet (Lesbo)
    La Grande Écurie et La Chambre du Roy ; Dir. Jean-Claude Malgoire (166 min: DVD)
  • Harmonia Mundi C952088.90 (2011): Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Agrippina), Marcos Fink (Claudio), Sunhae Im (Poppea), Bejun Mehta (Ottone), Jennifer Rivera (Nerone), Neal Davies (Pallante), Dominique Visse (Narciso) , Daniel Schmutzhard (Lesbo)
    Academy for Early Music Berlin ; Dir. René Jacobs (203 min)

The latter recording also contains a DVD (with explanations by Vincent Boussard & René Jacobs on the work).

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ John Mainwaring: Memoirs of the Life of the Late George Frederic Handel. London 1760, p. 52 f.
  2. ^ John Mainwaring, Johann Mattheson: Georg Friderich Handel's biography… Hamburg 1761, reprint Deutscher Verlag für Musik, Leipzig 1978, p. 46 f.
  3. ^ Winton Dean, John Merrill Knapp: Handel's Operas 1704–1726. The Boydell Press, Woodbridge 2009, ISBN 978-1-84383-525-7 , p. 128.
  4. ^ Silke Leopold: Handel. The operas. Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel 2009, ISBN 978-3-7618-1991-3 , p. 208.
  5. ^ Bernd Baselt: Thematic-systematic directory. Stage works. In: Walter Eisen (Ed.): Händel-Handbuch: Volume 1. Deutscher Verlag für Musik, Leipzig 1978, ISBN 978-3-7618-0610-4 , p. 89 ff.
  6. ↑ harmoniamundi.com