L’incoronazione di Poppea

L’incoronazione di Poppea is the last opera by Claudio Monteverdi, a giant of baroque musical theatre. Rather than being based on mythological stories, as was usual with baroque operas, it uses real historical events. It was first performed at the Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo in Venice in 1643 and quickly became a sensation. After the murder of his mother Agrippina, Nerone (Nero) is struck by Amore’s (Cupid’s) arrow and begins a love affair with the legendary beauty Poppea, who, weary of her husband Ottone, a general, seizes the opportunity and plots to become Roman Empress. Monteverdi ends the drama with her coronation. Later on, history tells us, Poppea suffered a similar fate to all the women in Nero’s life. The story also finds an echo in the events of today’s world, where egotistical and narcissistic leaders stop at nothing to eliminate anyone who thinks differently. With its wonderful music, great roles, sensitive drama and pacy action, Monteverdi’s masterpiece is still an astonishing spectacle today. For the students of the Ljubljana Academy of music, staging L’incoronazione di Poppea also represents the challenge and responsibility of bringing it to the Ljubljana Opera House more than 35 years after it was last performed there, this time with all the elements of historical performance practice, from the style of singing to the use of historical instruments – something never before seen in Slovenia.