Opera

Lotario

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• 04 April 2025
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This opera seria by Handel was first performed in 1729 at the King's Theatre in London .

Berengario, an Italian duke, and Matilde, his wife, murder the King of Italy and plot to force his widow, Adelaide, to marry their son, Idelberto, who's maybe something of a kind-hearted sop.

Lotario, the King of Germany, aims to claim the Italian throne.

Adelaide and Lotario fall in love despite her grief over the murder of her husband.

In the machinations, Mathilde has Adelaide thrown in a dungeon.

Lotario, storming the castle, defeats Berengario and imprisons him. Lotario regains Adelaide.

Lotario lets Adelaide decide what to do with Berengario and Matilde. Adelaide shows them forgiveness, and Idelberto becomes King of Italy out of gratitude for saving her life while held by Mathilde and Berengario.

In this excerpt, Adelaide is showing her strength of character while held prisoner my Mathilde: