Coronation of Poppea: Sexual Politics in Rome

Coronation of Poppea by Claudio Monteverdi (original title: L’Incoronazione di Poppea) is not one opera to recommend to history buffs. Yes, it may be the kind that is loosely based on the sexual politics that once proliferated in Rome. But it did not hide its bias over its view of the titular character. Also, the deities that were featured in the prologue served as scapegoats. (More on that later.) This was evident in the version we are about to discuss today And that would be the 1974 version with Nikolaus Harmoncourt as musical director. 

Musical Director: Nikolaus Harmoncourt 
Fortune: Renate Lenhart (soprano) 
Virtue: Helrun Gardow (soprano) 
Cupid: Klaus Brettschneider (counter-tenor) 
Poppea: Rachel Yakar (soprano) 
Octavia: Trudeliese Schmidt (mezzo-soprano) 
Nero: Eric Tappy (tenor) 
Otho: Paul Esswood (counter-tenor) 
Seneca: Matti Salminen (bass) 
Drusilla: Janet Perry (soprano) 
Arnalta: Alexander Oliver (tenor) 
Nurse: Maria Minetto (soprano) 
Lucano: Philippe Huttenlocher (tenor) 
Page: Peter Keller (tenor) 
Dame: Suzanne Calabro (soprano) 
Libertus: Rudolf A. Hartmann 
Soldiers: Peter Straka and Fritz Peter (tenors) 
Seneca’s colleagues: Francisco Araiza, Werner Groschel and Peter Keller 

What was Poppea’s motivation for sleeping with the Roman Emperor Nero? The crown, of course. Hence the title: Coronation of Poppea. And Poppea perceived that things are going her way because she is favored by Fortune and Cupid. So why stop? The people stopping her from achieving this goal are her nanny, Arnalta, and her suitor, Otho. Her nanny because Nero’s wife, Octavia, is still very much alive and had as much power as Nero at some point. Otho because, well, he loved Poppea so much. 

It was a relationship that was presented as an open secret. An open secret that the public disapproved of. Or least that’s how Nero’s soldiers interpreted it. War is ravishing the empire while 2 of his soldiers served as guards outside Poppea’s home. They must have been itching for more action far from the situation that Nero put them into. It does not mention if Nero himself had seen action in war. It’s one of the things not mentioned that fueled scholarly research in Nero’s life as emperor. I think it’s a good thing. It’s proof that Monteverdi’s librettist, Giovanni Francesco Busenello focused on events that built up towards the coronation of Poppea.

The sexuality that Poppea exploited for her political ambition wasn’t so graphic in the 1974 version. Whatever this version of the Coronation of Poppea lacked in physicality was compensated with the seductive singing of Rachel Yakar as Poppea Sabina. The way “Signor, de non partire …” was sung was somewhat titillating. It can make a man like Nero think twice about leaving even if the sun is almost up. The part of “Come dolci, Signor, come soavi” may be a duet. But for the most part it highlighted how Poppea used her sexy time with Nero to solicit another political favor. 

It’s the one duet in the Coronation of Poppea that I immediately remember since Poppea talked dirty to Nero about her lips and her breasts. Even if Nero was portrayed in this version of Coronation of Poppea by a tenor, the sexual lyricism was just that - lyric. (I have yet to see a version of the Coronation of Poppea that featured graphic sexuality onstage featuring a soprano and a mezzo.) Not physical. Hands were simply cupped while facing the camera to imply that Nero cupped Poppea’s breasts. Poppea sang seductively at the back as Nero was shown doing the figurative hanky-panky. Then Poppea went for it. She tried to convince Nero how his adviser, Seneca, had been bragging around the empire that he is the power behind the throne. Projection, thy name is Poppea. 

Poppea’s manipulation of Nero was so effective. So effective that he wanted to share his power with her. So be it if he had to get rid of his wife, Octavia. But first, he pressured Seneca to kill himself. Seneca was happy to oblige. Sounds weird. But in his mind, it’s the best way to enlightenment. His colleagues thought otherwise. One of them may have tried to expose him as a charlatan and a nutjob. But he doesn’t hate him that much that he wanted Seneca dead. Also, they believed that Nero went too far. Seneca had to die first before the grieving colleagues could finally prove their hypothesis at the Coronation of Poppea. Upon confirming his death, Nero partied while surrounded with marble busts of himself with his most loyal advisers. Mostly advisers who didn’t like Seneca either. 

Otho and Octavia ended up forming an alliance. Well, actually, Octavia blackmailed Otho. Otho had to be blackmailed in order to formulate a murder plan on Poppea. He even tagged his “other” lover, Drusilla, into the plot. All because he needed to disguise himself to enter Poppea’s home. And you can tell how anger made 2 supposedly virtuous characters in the Coronation of Poppea deprived of virtue. You can see the Goddess of Virtue shaking her head in the background. 

This brings us to how the Roman gods were shown in this version of the Coronation of Poppea. They actively participated in the affairs of the mortals. For what? Just to prove between Cupid, Fortune and Virtue have the most worshippers. So active, the mortals themselves can see them. Like that scene where Arnalta was scolding Poppea. Poppea happily bragged the favors she received by addressing the presence of Cupid and Fortune. Arnalta in return was furious at the interference of these 2 gods. So furious that she pulled up Fortune’s wig. (Fortune doesn’t have a problem exposing her breasts. But she’s aghast at having her bald spot exposed.) Virtue was happily agreeing with Octavia until the murder plot plus blackmail attempt. If she could wail out loud, she could. Cupid himself interfered in the murder attempt simple because he wanted to show that he’s better than Fortune and Virtue. Nothing more. That’s pretty selfish of him.

The duet “Pur ti miro, pur ti godo” could have been sweet. That is if it is the only part of the Coronation of Poppea that you watched. Then again you’d wonder. Why is Poppea clutching the crown instead of hugging Nero back? It took while for her to acknowledge Nero’s presence since he’s been pestering her for his “reward”. Nero’s so preoccupied with the sex after the coronation of Poppea. He failed to realized how he’s been used as a pawn for the crown. This 1974 version presented how love wasn’t exactly mutual. 

Does the morbid and rather depressing story make the music any less beautiful? Of course not. If ever there would be one opera that you would be listening to, it would be the Coronation of Poppea. Sure. Nero was portrayed by a tenor, Eric Tappy, in this version as opposed to putting 2 counter-tenors in the same production for the roles of Otho and Nero respectively. But they pulled it off. It sounded great. If you didn’t like the way the sounds came out within the Nero/Poppea duets, you can always go elsewhere and find another version that featured either a counter-tenor or a mezzo-soprano in the role of Nero. (I recommend the one featuring Anna Caterina Antonacci in the role of Nero found on YouTube. I have yet to see the one featuring Alice Coote in the role of Nero though.) 

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