Disprezzata regina

Claudio Monteverdi
L'incoronazione di Poppea
Duet: Pur ti miro, pur ti godo
Arleen Auger (Soprano) - Poppea
Della Jones (Mezzo Soprano) - Nerone

L'incoronazione di Poppea (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. First performance: Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, 1642.
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, on the face of it showing the apparent triumph of Amore over Virtu 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)

-Synopsis-

PROLOGUE
Fortune, Virtue and Cupid argue over who is the most powerful.
Cupid claims his superiority will be proved by the ensuing story.

ACT I
At Poppeas Palace, Otho (Ottone), who loves Poppea, discovers that she is sleeping with the emperor Nero (Nerone). The guards on duty complain of Nero and Poppea's adulterous behaviour.
The two lovers enter and bid each other a fond farewell. Arnalta, Poppea's nurse, warns her to be careful. At the emperor's palace, Nero's wife Octavia (Ottavia) is filled with despair by her husband's actions ("Disprezzata regina").
The philosopher Seneca arrives and tries to console her. The goddess Pallas Athene warns Seneca of his impending death, which he stoically welcomes.
Nero arrives and informs Seneca that he wishes to divorce Octavia: Seneca tries to dissuade him. Nero's anger is calmed by Poppea, who suggests that Seneca be killed.
Otho attempts a reconciliation with Poppea, but she scorns his advances. He thinks of killing her, but instead turns his attention to Drusilla, who has long been in love with him. Otho swears his love to Drusilla, but he still loves Poppea.

ACT II
Seneca is told that he must die. Ignoring the pleas of his friends, he orders them to prepare the bath in which he will kill himself.
Nero and the poet Lucan celebrate Seneca's death.
Octavia tells Otho that he must disguise himself as a woman and kill Poppea. Drusilla agrees to lend him some of her clothes. Otho attempts to murder Poppea as she sleeps, but is stopped by Cupid. The awakened Poppea thinks the fleeing Otho is Drusilla. Cupid sings of his success.

ACT Ill
Drusilla celebrates the expected death of Poppea, but is arrested for attempted murder and is sentenced to death. She protests her innocence, but when Otho begins to confess his guilt, she changes her story and both admit the plot. Nero banishes them, along with Octavia, whose complicity he has discovered.
Nero tells Poppea that she will be crowned empress the same day. Octavia makes her final, grief-stricke appearance and Arnalta triumphs in her mistress's success. Poppea is crowned empress and as the opera ends, Nero and Poppea sing of their love.