Tu ben degno

No. 5. Aria di Agrippina, "Tu ben degno". The Empress' original scheme has been completely destroyed by the fact that Otho has saved Claudius from death at sea. But all is not lost, as Otho confides to Agrippina that he loves the Roman beauty Poppea far more than the throne. Agrippina knows that Claudius also loves Poppea and realizes that her plans have not been entirely defeated. She then proceeds to sing a perfectly sweet and yet poisonous reply to Otho's honest story, noting how the soldier would be a perfect Emperor. A stunning feature is the division of the A section into two contrasting parts: an out-load and false "You are worthy of the throne" and an aside and honest "How does my heart burn!". The aria itself is characterized by a very formalist continuo accompaniment which ideally shows how Agrippina weighs each of her compliments to Otho.

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