The opera Arminius was one of three new operas put on during the 1736-1737 opera season at Covent Garden Theatre. Handel was still in direct competition with the Opera of the Nobility, which acted as a rival opera company to his own. However they were failing fast. They had lost most of their singers the previous season, and their director, Nicola Porpora, had also left. In response, Handel planned the biggest season ever, producing eight operas and four oratorios. Arminius, the first of the new operas, was premiered late in the season on January twelfth, after several revivals had already taken place. It is in the grand heroic style of the old Academy operas, and is based on a libretto by Salvi, which was originally set by Alessandro Scarlatti. The lead man was Handel's new singer, the soprano castrati Conti. The story is filled with pathos, as the lead character is bound by chains throughout much of the work, and faces severe adversity. It was met with a cool response, and only received six performances. It is not one of Handel's most inspired works, however it shows his thorough and professional craftsmanship and creativity.

Although there is no magical spectacle or mythological happenings in Arminius, there is much that livens up the story. The opening overture is followed immediately by a scene of extreme tragedy, and the opening number is a duet of despair, rather than the typical recitative and aria that opens most opere serie. Indeed, throughout the score Handel creates dramatic scenic constructions using cavatinas, ariosos, and that put dramatic veracity ahead of convention. There is a duet in Act III in which the wife and sister of Arminius threaten to commit a double suicide if he is not freed from prison. Their extended duet is written in form, with a freedom of construction that illustrates their conflicting emotions of despair and resolve.

In Act II, two of the arias are related dramatically and by key. The first, a non-exit aria written for Arminio, is a resoluto aria in which he defies his father-in-law. A brilliant and heroic piece, it is in the tragic key of F minor. Segeste responds with a bravura aria in F Major, after which he is made to exit dramatically. He is trying to convince Arminius to join forces with the Romans. He has defected his own people for the sake of glory and power, and urges Arminius to do the same. His righteous justification is felt in the force of his music.

Handel had in his orchestra in the 1736-1737 season the renowned oboe player Giuseppe Sammartini. A virtuoso oboist, Handel composed some exceedingly fine music for him in this work. He reserves his star instrumentalist, however, for the climax of the opera in act II. Although there is scoring for oboe in the overture and in the opening symphony to Act II, none of the arias or accompaniments contain oboe parts until "Quella fiamma". This radiant aria was composed as a show piece for the soprano castrato Conti. He had an extremely high tessitura, and Handel writes a complimentary oboe obbligato line that is just as virtuosic as the vocal music. The effect is of brilliant, glittering, radiant and resplendent treble writing. There are as well two additional ripieno oboes in the orchestra part, reinforcing the concertoesque aspect of the piece.

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