L'incoronazione di Poppea (SV 308, The Coronation of Poppea ) is an opera seria in three acts by Claudio Monteverdi to an Italian libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello, based on historical incidents described in the Annals of Tacitus. The first performance was in 1642 at the Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice. The opera takes Poppaea Sabina, the second wife of the Roman Emperor Nero, as the heroine of the plot. L'incoronazione di Poppea is Monteverdi's last opera, showing his maturity. The plot by Busenello is a masterwork of irony, [1], on the face of it showing the apparent triumph of Amore over Virtù and Fortuna as promised by the prologue. However, the educated audience of the day would have been aware of the pregnant Poppea's subsequent murder by Nero in a fit of rage. Nero is later succeeded by Ottone as emperor: Poppea could have achieved her objective without tragedy simply by having remained faithful to Ottone in the first place. It is believed that the opera's florid closing duet between Nerone and Poppea was written not by Monteverdi but by another composer, Benedetto Ferrari. [2].

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Roles

thumb from the Prologue

Role	Voice type	Premiere cast, 1642 (Conductor: – )
Ottone	contralto castrato
Poppea	soprano
Emperor Nerone	soprano castrato
Arnalta, Poppea's nurse	contralto or tenor
Empress Ottavia	mezzo or soprano	Anna Renzi
Seneca	bass
Drusilla	soprano
Fortuna, a goddess	soprano
Virtù, a goddess	soprano
Amore, a god	soprano or light mezzo
Two soldiers	tenors
Valletto	soprano
Nurse	contralto
Pallade	soprano
Damigella	soprano
Mercurio	tenor
Liberto	tenor
Lucano	tenor
Lictor	bass
Friends, consuls, tribunes, lictors, servants, soldiers — chorus

Synopsis

Prologue

Virtù and Fortuna argue, each claiming to be a more important goddess. Both yield to Amore, who vows to prove his superiority with the story of Nero and Poppea.

Act 1

Act I begins with Ottone arriving at Poppea's house at daybreak, and retreating in dismay after he sees Nero's guards outside it. In an interesting alba, the guards curse military life and exchange scurrilous gossip about Poppea's scheming. This is a vivid prelude to the first of the opera's several steamy love scenes. Poppea, having left Ottone who still loves her, is now with the Emperor Nero. Nero and Poppea part tenderly. Arnalta warns Poppea to be careful for the empress knows of her husband's strayings. Ottavia becomes upset by the way she is treated and laments her humiliation to her old nurse who tries in vain to comfort her. Seneca, who is ushered in by Ottavia's page, Valetto, consoles her and pleads with Nero on her behalf. Nero promises Poppea that she will be Empress. Seneca tries to show Nero the wrongness of what Nero is doing. Poppea persuades Nero that Seneca is a threat to his authority and to the throne, after which Nero becomes angry and orders Seneca's death. After Ottone sees that Poppea does not love him, but only wants power, he courts Drusilla. Valletto courts Damigella.

Act 2

Seneca carries out his own death order and kills himself. Nerone is elated by the death and by Poppea's beauty. Ottavia orders Ottone to kill Poppea. He disguises himself as Drusilla by wearing Drusilla's cloak, but Amore prevents him from killing his former lover. Drusilla, trying to save Ottone, confesses and is arrested for the plot. Ottone, having heard everything, comes forward and tells Nerone the truth. Nerone decides to spare their lives, although they are banished. The god of love is triumphant and proclaims that Poppea will become Empress.

Act 3

Drusilla joyfully anticipates Poppea’s death, but is arrested for the attempted murder and sentenced to death by Nerone. Ottone rushes in to save Drusilla, confessing, against Drusilla’s protestations, that he was responsible for the attempted murder. Nerone banishes Ottone but forgives Drusilla because of her bravery; Drusilla begs to be sent into exile with Ottone, and Nerone grants her wish. With Ottavia implicated in the murder plot against Poppea, Nerone announces his plan to divorce Ottavia and send her into exile. Nerone and Poppea rejoice that the way is clear for their marriage. Poppea is crowned Empress. The goddess of Love proclaims her triumph and the opera ends with a beautiful, concluding duet with Poppea and Nerone exulting in the triumph of their love.

Noted arias

• "Solitudine amata" (Seneca)
• "Disprezzata regina" (Ottavia)
• "Oblivion soave" (Arnalta)
• "Felice cor mio" (Drusilla)
• "A Dio, Roma" (Ottavia)
• "O sciocchi, o frali" (Amore)