Handel’s Agrippina

Thank you to our sponsors:

Synopsis

ACT I

When her husband, the Roman emperor Claudius (Claudio), appears to have drowned at sea, Agrippina plots for her son Nero (Nerone) to succeed him. However, Claudius has been saved by Otho (Ottone) and so Nero’s imminent coronation is abandoned. Otho arrives and tells Agrippina that the grateful Claudius has appointed him as his successor. He also confides that he is in love with Poppea. Agrippina, knowing that Claudius has designs on Poppea as well, and seeing an opportunity to advance her cause for Nero, tells Poppea that Otho has agreed to give her up to Claudius in return for the throne. She persuades Poppea to tell Claudius that Otho has forbidden her to see him, thus prompting Claudius to refuse Otho the crown.

ACT II

Otho claims his reward from Claudius, who immediately denounces him as a traitor. Agrippina, Poppea, and Nero follow suit, leaving Otho alone, confused, and dejected. But Poppea begins to doubt his guilt, and eventually Otho convinces her that he is innocent. Meanwhile, Agrippina tells Claudius that Otho is plotting against him and persuades him to appoint Nero as Emperor.

ACT III

Poppea convinces Claudius that, while she once thought Otho had betrayed them, it was in fact Nero who had done so. She then reveals Nero hiding in her room. Claudius dismisses his stepson, who runs to his mother to inform her of Poppea’s treachery. Agrippina confronts Claudius, berates him for succumbing to Poppea’s influence, and reveals that Otho is in love with Poppea. Claudius summons Poppea, Otho, and Nero, and orders Nero to marry Poppea, while restoring Otho to the throne. Otho pleads with Claudius to allow him to forgo the throne and marry Poppea, and Claudius agrees, finally turning the throne over to Nero and blessing the marriage of Otho and Poppea.

Read the program notes by Martin Pearlman here