Ancient Rome is nothing if not dramatic — in other words, it is perfect fodder for the grand spectacle of opera. Tomorrow, the Brno National Theatre (NdB) will bring Georg Friedrich Händel’s ‘Agrippina’ to Brno for the first time, directed by Martin Glaser. Collegium 1704, the outstanding Baroque orchestra led by conductor Václav Luks, will provide the music.
Agrippina, one of the most powerful and controversial women in history, was related to a string of both famous and infamous Roman emperors: the great‑granddaughter of Augustus; the sister of Caligula; the wife (and niece) of Claudius; and the mother of Nero. She was Machiavellian centuries before Machiavelli, pulling strings to replace husband Claudius with her son Nero.
Handel’s opera about her life, which premiered in Venice in 1709, was an immediate success.
Credit: NdB
The title role will be performed by Pavla Vykopalová, who saw great success with the recent staging of ‘Alcina’. German countertenor Constantin Zimmermann (Ottone) and Czech countertenor Vojtěch Pelka (Nero) will appear in Brno for the first time.
The Brno production will be staged in the Italian original with Czech, English, and German surtitles.
After tomorrow’s premiere, further performances will take place at Janáček Theatre on 18/19 April, and 10/30/31 May.
It is a long opera, starting an hour earlier than most performances at 6 pm, befitting the weight of its subject matter. Click here for a synopsis of the opera.
NdB presents opera, ballet, and theatrical performances. Click here for the schedule and more details.
