Agrippina Is Feb. 29, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast

Summary: Handel’s Agrippina is the Feb. 29, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing as 13th in the season’s 23 radio matinees.

Met Opera's 2019-2020 season debuts Sir David McVicar's new production of Handel's Agrippina, with sets designed by John Macfarlane: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 15, 2019

George Frideric Handel’s Agrippina is the Feb. 29, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast, airing at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and numbering as the 13th of 23 scheduled Saturday radio matinees during the 2019-2020 Met Opera season.

German-British baroque composer George Frideric Handel (Feb. 23, 1685-April 14, 1759) set his musical score for Agrippina to an Italian libretto by Italian cardinal, diplomat and opera librettist Vincenzo Grimani (May 26, 1655-Sept. 26, 1710). Cardinal Grimani’s libretto concerned Agrippina the Younger (Nov. 6, 15 CE-March 23, 59 CE), who became Empress of Rome through her marriage, on New Year’s Day, 49 CE, to her paternal uncle Claudius (Aug. 1, 10 BCE-Oct. 13, 54 CE), who reigned as Roman Emperor from Jan. 24, 41, until his death (or murder).

Handel’s Agrippina premiered Dec. 26, 1709, at the Grimani family’s opera house, Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo (or Crisostomo), in northeastern Italy’s island city of Venice. The opera house, known since 1835 as Teatro Malibran, is located on the left bank of Venice’s Grand Canal, in the city’s northernmost historic district (sestiere), Cannaregio. The opera house, designed by Italian architect, painter and stage designer Tommaso Bezzi (ca. 1650-Feb. 23, 1729), was inaugurated in 1678.

Agrippina received its Metropolitan Opera premiere in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season. The premiere took place Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.

In addition to the premiere, eight performances of Agrippina have been scheduled for the 2019-2020 season. Six additional performances are offered in February. The premiere month’s additional performances take place Sunday, Feb. 9, at 3 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 22, at 8 p.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday matinee broadcast, Feb. 29, at 1 p.m.

The season’s last two performances of Agrippina are set in March. The month’s performances take place Tuesday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. and, closing night, Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m.

The two-act opera has an estimated run time of 3 hours 45 minutes. Act I runs for 101 minutes. An intermission of 30 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 94 minutes.

Harry Bicket conducts all performances of Agrippina. The British conductor and Baroque interpreter made his Metropolitan Opera debut Dec. 2, 2004, in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Handel’s Rodelinda. In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Harry Bicket also conducts Così fan tutte by 18th century Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791).

Brenda Rae appears as Poppea, whose three suitors are Emperor Claudius, ambitious Nerone and lovestruck Ottone. The American operatic soprano’s appearance in Agrippina’s Metropolitan Opera premiere Feb. 6, 2020, marked her Metropolitan Opera debut.

Joyce DiDonato appears in the title role of the scheming Agrippina. The American operatic lyric-coloratura mezzo-soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Nov. 2, 2005, in the trouser role of Cherubino in the opera house’s 419th performance of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro. During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Joyce DiDonato also appears as Charlotte in Werther by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912).

Kate Lindsey appears in the trouser role of Nerone, Agrippina's son and Emperor Claudius' stepson. The American mezzo-soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Sept. 20, 2005, as Javotte in the opera house’s 250th performance of Massenet’s Manon.

Iestyn Davies appears as Ottone, who prefers marriage with Poppea to an imperial coronation. The British classical countertenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Nov. 14, 2011, as Unulfo in the opera house’s 15th performance of Handel’s Rodelinda.

Duncan Rock appears as Pallante, Agrippina's freedman. The Australian baritone made his Metropolitan Opera debut Oct. 2, 2017, as Schaunard in the opera house’s 1,306th performance of La Bohème by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Matthew Rose appears as Emperor Claudio, who seeks reconciliation in his final decisions. The English operatic bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Nov. 18, 2011, as Colline in the opera house’s 1,240th performance of Puccini’s La Bohème.

The Metropolitan Opera premiere of Agrippina during the 2019-2020 season debuts Sir David McVicar’s new production. Handel’s original setting was Rome in the mid-first century CE. Sir David’s production resets the opera to “the present,” according to The Metropolitan Opera website’s page on Agrippina’s 2019-2020 season performances.

Sir David’s production team comprises John Macfarlane, set and costume designer, and Paule Constable, lighting designer. Andrew George is the production’s choreographer.

The takeaway for Agrippina as the Feb. 29, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that Handel’s newly staged opera airs at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and numbers as the 13th of 23 Saturday matinees broadcast weekly through Saturday, May 9, 2020.

Met Opera's 2019-2020 season debuts Sir David McVicar's new production of Handel's Agrippina, with sets and costumes designed by John Macfarlane: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 2, 2019

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Met Opera's 2019-2020 season debuts Sir David McVicar's new production of Handel's Agrippina, with sets designed by John Macfarlane: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 15, 2019, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162332707945533/

Met Opera's 2019-2020 season debuts Sir David McVicar's new production of Handel's Agrippina, with sets and costumes designed by John Macfarlane: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Aug. 2, 2019, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162278045665533/

For further information:

“Debut: Kate Lindsey.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351294 Manon {250} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/20/2005.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351294

“Debut: Matthew Rose.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354168 La Bohème {1240} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/18/2011.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354168

“Debuts: Alexander Soddy, Angel Blue, Duncan Rock.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 356747 La Bohème {1306} Metropolitan Opera House: 10/02/2017.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=356747

"Debuts: Brenda Rae, Nicholas Tamagna." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357409 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Agrippina {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 02/06/2020.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357409

“Debuts: Iestyn Davies, Moritz Linn.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354154 Rodelinda {15} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/14/2011.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354154

“Debuts: Kobie van Rensburg, Zachary Vail Elkind, Harry Bicket . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351094 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Rodelinda {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/02/2004.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351094

“Debuts: Mark Wigglesworth, Maurizio Muraro, Joyce DiDonato . . .” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351338 Le Nozze di Figaro {419} Metropolitan Opera House: 11/02/2005.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351338

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season Opens Monday, Sept. 23, With Porgy and Bess.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 16, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/2019-2020-met-opera-season-opens-monday.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Fifth Week Has Gluck, Massenet and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-fifth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Fourth Week Has Gershwin, Massenet and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 7, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-fourth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera’s Second Week Has Gershwin, Massenet, Puccini, Verdi.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 23, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/2019-2020-met-operas-second-week-has.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Manon Lescaut Is the Dec. 3, 2016, Metropolitan Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Nov. 28, 2016.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/11/manon-lescaut-is-dec-3-2016.html

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. Sir David McVicar brings three thrilling stagings to the Met next season—revivals of Puccini’s Tosca and Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda, as well as the Met premiere production of Handel’s Agrippina—all showcasing the director’s versatility and vision. Buy tickets: bit.ly/2YDrq54 Photo by Antoni Bofill / Liceu.” Facebook. Aug. 2, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162278045665533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Reimagining a Baroque classic, Sir David McVicar’s new production of Handel’s Agrippina ingeniously updates this wry satire about the abuse of power to the present moment. Here’s a first look at the striking set design by John Macfarlane and lighting design by Paule Constable, from technical rehearsals this week. Photo by Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera.” Facebook. Aug. 15, 2019.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10162332707945533/