아르카디아 아카데미의 오페라 혁명 - 헨델의 《아그리피나》를 중심으로

Abstract

Grimani and Handel’s opera Agrippina (1709) contains elements ostensibly contradictory to Arcadian aesthetics, including the comic scenes and deception. Although these elements are often dismissed as outdated aspects in an operatic tradition, this paper aims to reveal how the librettist and composer used these seemingly contradictory elements to adhere to, and even expand, the Arcadian ideals, ultimately suggesting a plausible way to reinvigorate the drama of the time. In order to illustrate their efforts, detailed musical analyses focus on the representations of the three main characters of the opera: Emperor Claudio, Agrippina, and Poppea. The analyses reveal, first, that Claudio’s comic portrayal is not extraneous to the verisimilitude of the Arcadian ideals but serves as an effective foil to the main action of Agrippina’s deception, at the same time fulfilling the demands of entertainment for the audience. Second, the representation of Poppea and Agrippina, which correspond to not only historical writings from Tacitus but also contemporary perceptions and polemics about female virtues and power, illustrate how Grimani and Handel make the two women’s deception essential to the vivid characterization and cogent plot, particularly evident in the portrayal of Agrippina’s masking. The representations of the three characters ultimately help to illuminate the librettist and composer’s astute approach to revitalizing opera