Agrippina

At home with the Roman Emperor Claudius, everything is in disarray: His own wife Agrippina is undermining his throne. She is determined to see her son Nero, from her first marriage, seated upon it. Claudius, on the other hand, wishes for the brave general Otho to be his successor. However, Otho loves Poppea more than power, while she, in turn, is desired by both Nero and Claudius. Thus, these emotional confusions threaten the intricately woven web of intrigue created by Agrippina.

Georg Friedrich Handel presents this story from Rome's not-so-great old days in his opera Agrippina with a healthy dose of irony. At the same time, he sensitively explores the wide range of emotions of his protagonists in his music and delves into the touching realms of the human soul with his characteristic sensitive gaze. It is no wonder that the then 24-year-old composer was able to celebrate his international breakthrough with the premiere of Agrippina in Venice in 1709.

In Italian with subtitles.