Disprezzata regina
Opera details:
Opera title: | L' Incoronazione di Poppea |
Composer: | Claudio Monteverdi |
Language: | Italian |
Synopsis: | L' Incoronazione di Poppea Synopsis |
Libretto: | L' Incoronazione di Poppea Libretto |
Translation(s): | English Deutsch |
Aria details:
Type: | aria |
Role(s): | Ottavia |
Voice(s): | Soprano |
Act: | 1.07 |
| Previous scene: | Speranza tu mi vai |
| Next scene: | Ecco la sconsolata |
Monteverdi’s "Disprezzata Regina" from L'Incoronazione di Poppea
Singer: Joyce DiDonatoRenowned mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato presents a series of three master classes focusing on opera arias. Here Ms. DiDonato coaches mezzo-soprano Maya Amir with pianist Shannon McGinnis on Monteverdi’s "Disprezzata Regina" from L'Incoronazione di Poppea.
To watch more videos from Carnegie Hall’s Workshops and Master Classes, visit
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato’s performances have been called “a model of singing in which all components of the art form—technique, sound, color, nuance, diction—come together in service to expression and eloquence†by The New York Times. The revered singer presents a series of three public master classes for young opera singers who were chosen from an international pool of applicants. To learn more about Carnegie Hall’s Workshops and Master Classes and to apply, visit
Watch videos with other singers performing Disprezzata regina:
2 - Trudeliese Schmidt
2 - Frederica von Stade
2 - Joyce DiDonato
2 - Anna Bonitatibus
2 - Nadja Michael
1 - Roberta Invernizzi
1 - Anna Caterina Antonacci
2 - Gloria Banditelli
1 - Maite Beaumont
2 - Maria Riccarda Wesseling
2 - Anne Sofie von Otter
2 - Teresa Berganza
1 - Emma Matthews
2 - Cathy Berberian
1 - Daniela Dessì
2 - Guillemette Laurens
2 - Magdalena Kožená
2 - Mirella Parutto
1 - Arleen Auger
2 - Della Jones
1 - Maite Beaumont
1 - Miah Persson
2 - Tatiana Troyanos
5 - Éric Tappy
1 - Emma Matthews
1 - Marianne Mathy
1 - Lena Lootens
2 - Guillemette Laurens
2 - Jennifer Larmore
1 - Maria Vitale
2 - Oralia Domínguez
1 - Janet Perry
1 - Rachel Yakar
2 - Trudeliese Schmidt
1 - Lenneke Ruiten
2 - Magdalena Kožená
1 - Anna Renzi
1 - Roberta Invernizzi
1 - Magda László
2 - Elizabeth Bainbridge
2 - Frances Bible
2 - Oralia Domínguez
Other videos of the same singers performing Disprezzata regina:
2 - Joyce DiDonato
2 - Frederica von Stade
1 - Roberta Invernizzi
2 - Anne Sofie von Otter
2 - Joyce DiDonato
2 - Anne Sofie von Otter
2 - Cathy Berberian
2 - Cathy Berberian
2 - Anne Sofie von Otter
Libretto/Lyrics/Text/Testo:
SCENA V
Si muta la scena nella città di Roma.
Ottavia, Nutrice.
Ottavia imperatrice esagera gl'affanni suoi
con la nutrice, detestando i mancamenti
di Nerone suo consorte.
La Nutrice scherza seco sopra novelli amori
per traviarla da' cupi pensieri;
Ottavia resistendo constantemente
persevera nell'afflizioni.
OTTAVIA
Disprezzata regina,
Del monarca romano afflitta moglie,
Che fo, ove son, che penso ?
O delle donne miserabil sesso:
Se la natura e'l cielo
Libere ci produce,
Il matrimonio c'incatena serve.
Se concepiamo l'uomo,
O delle donne miserabil sesso,
Al nostr'empio tiran formiam le membra,
Allattiamo il carnefice crudele
Che ci scarna e ci svena,
E siam forzate per indegna sorte
A noi medesme partorir la morte.
Nerone, empio Nerone,
Nerone, marito, o dio, marito
Bestemmiato pur sempre
E maledetto dai cordogli miei,
Dove, ohimè, dove sei ?
In braccio di Poppea,
Tu dimori felice e godi, e intanto
Il frequente cader de' pianti miei
Pur va quasi formando
Un diluvio di specchi, in cui tu miri,
Dentro alle tue delizie i miei martiri.
Destin, se stai lassù,
Giove ascoltami tu,
Se per punir Nerone
Fulmini tu non hai,
D'impotenza t'accuso,
D'ingustizia t'incolpo;
Ahi, trapasso tropp'oltre e me ne pento,
Sopprimo e seppelisco
In taciturne angoscie il mio tormento.
English Libretto or Translation:
SCENE V
The scene changes in the city of Rome.
Octavia, Nutrice.
Octavia Empress exaggerates her worries
with the nurse, detesting the failures
of Nero his consort.
La Nutrice jokes with new loves
to get her to 'gloomy thoughts;
Octavia constantly resisting
perseveres in afflictions.
OCTAVIA
Despised queen,
Of the Roman monarch afflicted wife,
What do I do, where am I thinking?
Or women's miserabil sex:
If nature is heaven
Free produces us,
The marriage encases us.
If we conceive of man,
Or women's miserable sex,
At our example, we form our members,
We nurse the cruel executioner
That is thin and unleashes us,
And we are forced by unworthy fate
We ourselves will give birth to death.
Nero, impious Nero,
Nero, husband, or god, husband
Always blasphemed
And cursed by my cordolas,
Where, oh, where are you?
In the arm of Poppea,
You live happy and enjoy, and in the meantime
The frequent fall of my tears
Even it is almost forming
A deluge of mirrors, in which you aim,
My martyrs are inside your delights.
Destin, if you're up there,
Jupiter, listen to me,
If to punish Nero
You do not have lightning
Of impotence I accuse you,
I inculcate you with justice;
Ah, I transpire too much and I regret it,
I suppress and seppelisco
My torment in taciturne angescie.
This is a partly automated translation. Please help us with corrections or provide us with a complete new translation. We will gladly mention the translator. Contact
External links for Disprezzata regina
| Sheetmusic for aria |  Sheetmusicplus.com |
| Sheetmusic for opera | Sheetmusicplus.com |
| MP3's for this aria | on Amazon.com |
| DVD/CD's for this opera | on Amazon.com |
Possible interesting pages on Opera-Arias.com
All AriasSoprano Arias
Monteverdi Arias
Monteverdi Soprano Arias
Italian Arias
Italian Soprano Arias
Italian Operas
Italian Composers