  Type II-plateau supernovae (SNe IIP) are the most numerous subclass of
core-collapse SNe originating from massive stars. In the framework of the
neutrino-driven explosion mechanism, we study the SN outburst properties for a
red supergiant progenitor model and compare the corresponding light curves with
observations of the ordinary Type IIP SN 1999em. Three-dimensional (3D)
simulations of (parametrically triggered) neutrino-driven explosions are
performed with the (explicit, finite-volume, Eulerian, multifluid
hydrodynamics) code PROMETHEUS, using a presupernova model of a 15 Msun star as
initial data. At approaching homologous expansion, the hydrodynamical and
composition variables of the 3D models are mapped to a spherically symmetric
configuration, and the simulations are continued with the (implicit, Lagrangian
radiation-hydrodynamics) code CRAB to follow the blast-wave evolution during
the SN outburst. Our 3D neutrino-driven explosion model with an explosion
energy of about 0.5x10^51 erg produces Ni-56 in rough agreement with the amount
deduced from fitting the radioactively powered light-curve tail of SN 1999em.
The considered presupernova model, 3D explosion simulations, and light-curve
calculations can explain the basic observational features of SN 1999em, except
for those connected to the presupernova structure of the outer stellar layers.
Our 3D simulations show that the distribution of Ni-rich matter in velocity
space is asymmetric with a strong dipole component that is consistent with the
observations of SN 1999em. The monotonic luminosity decline from the plateau to
the radioactive tail in ordinary SNe IIP is a manifestation of the intense
turbulent mixing at the He/H composition interface.
