L'incoronazione di Poppea - Synopsis
L'incoronazione di Poppea
Claudio Monteverdi
Giovanni Francesco Busenello
Act One
Early one morning, Ottone approaches the house of his beloved, Poppea, eager to see her again as he has been absent for a while. He is, however, abruptly shaken out of his reverie when he discovers Nerone's bodyguards, asleep, and realizes, that Poppea has been engaged in dalliance with the emperor during his absence. Nerone's guards lament over the troubles they have had the previous night, curse the fact that their master is carrying on an affair with Poppea and exchange court gossip.
Poppea and Nerone take fond leave of each other. Poppea is fully confident of the power of love and longs to become Nerone's wife and be crowned empress. Her old confidante, Arnalta, tries to offer a word of warning and advises Poppea not to place quite so much faith in great men and in her own good fortune.
The empress, Ottavia, condemns her husband for being unfaithful to her and bemoans her fate. In order to raise her spirits a little, her nurse suggests she should look for another lover and thus have her revenge on Nerone. Ottavia rejects this suggestion and abandons herself once again to her misery.
Seneca tries to comfort Ottavia and urges her to be resolute. Her page, Valletto, makes fun of the philosopher. Ottavia goes off to pray in the temple.
Seneca reflects upon the burden crowned head shave to bear. Pallade (Pallas Athene) prophesies that he will die and says that Mercurio will be the one to tell him when his time has come.
Inspite of Seneca's warning words, Nerone insists that his wishes should be carried out: Ottavia is to be sent into exile and Poppea crowned empress. When Seneca appeals to the emperor's sense of what is morally right and politically sensible, Nerone becomes angry and sends him away. Poppea beguiles Nerone into promising that she will be crowned. She accuses him of being totally dependent on Seneca, which offends Nerone deeply, whereupon he sentences Seneca to death.
Ottone complains bitterly to Poppea and laments over the agonies he is suffering because of his great love for her and his jealousy of Nerone. Poppea merely scorns him. At this he decides to revenge himself on her. He turns to his former mistress, Drusilla, for help, and Drusilla can scarcely believe her good fortune that his feelings have changed so radically.
Act Two
Mercurio visits Seneca at home and announces that the philosopher is about to die. Seneca, with no trace of fear, glorifies his fate. The captain, Liberto, serves Seneca with the death warrant. The philosopher remains quite calm and asks him to report to the emperor that Seneca is already dead and buried. He then comforts his friends and gives instructions for the bath to be prepared in which he intends to die.
At Nerone's court, Valletto and a chamber-maid are teasing each other. In transports of delight, Nerone extols the pleasures of loving Poppea to his friend Lucano.
Ottone cannot banish Poppea from his thoughts and is deeply ashamed of himself for having wanted to take his revenge on her. Ottavia orders Ottone to kill Poppea, and to do so dressed as a woman, so as to be safer and disguise his true identity. When he refuses, she threatens to blacken his name with Nerone. Drusilla is happy because Ottone is coming back to her. Valletto makes fun of Ottavia's old nurse.
Ottone tells Drusilla of the empress´ order and asks her to lend him some garments. Drusilla agrees to help him. Poppea is triumphant when she hears of Seneca's death and prays to Amor to stand by her in her quest for power. Arnalta warns her yet again about becoming too ambitious, but Poppea merely has her sing her to sleep, as if she hadn't a care in the world.
Amor comes down from heaven to protect Poppea from Ottone. Ottone, in disguise, is put to flight by Amor. Poppea wakes up and thinks she has seen Drusilla. Amor decides that Poppea is to ascend the throne that very day.
Act Three
Drusilla is eagerly awaiting the news of the death of her rival, Poppea, in order to be able to lead a life in happiness with Ottone at last. Arnalta comes in with the lictor and his retinue, who have come to arrest Drusilla for supposedly having tried to kill Poppea.
Nerone interrogates Drusilla. In order to protect Ottone, she says that she herself was responsible for the attempt on Poppea's life. Nerone becomes very angry and sentences her to death.
Ottone learns of the fate of the innocent Drusilla. He confronts Nerone and admits that he was the one who tried to kill Poppea and tells the emperor that he acted on Ottavia's orders. Thereupon Nerone spares Ottone's life and sends him into exile with Drusilla. The empress Ottavia is to be banished as well.
Nerone promises Poppea that he will marry her that same day. Ottavia is filled with sadness and says farewell to her home and her family. Arnalta is delighted at the thought that she is to become the confidante of an empress.
Poppea is crowned empress by the consuls and tribunes in the name of the people of Rome and the Roman Senate. Amor descends from heaven again, accompanied by Venere (Venus), to make Poppea a goddess on earth.
Translation: Susan Bollinger
© Bavarian State Opera
Giovanni Francesco Busenello
Prologue
The two goddesses, Fortuna and Virtù (Virtue) are engaged in argument with Amor as to which of them is the more powerful. Amor emerges from the argument victorious. He promises to give the goddesses a sample of his power.
Act One
Early one morning, Ottone approaches the house of his beloved, Poppea, eager to see her again as he has been absent for a while. He is, however, abruptly shaken out of his reverie when he discovers Nerone's bodyguards, asleep, and realizes, that Poppea has been engaged in dalliance with the emperor during his absence. Nerone's guards lament over the troubles they have had the previous night, curse the fact that their master is carrying on an affair with Poppea and exchange court gossip.
Poppea and Nerone take fond leave of each other. Poppea is fully confident of the power of love and longs to become Nerone's wife and be crowned empress. Her old confidante, Arnalta, tries to offer a word of warning and advises Poppea not to place quite so much faith in great men and in her own good fortune.
The empress, Ottavia, condemns her husband for being unfaithful to her and bemoans her fate. In order to raise her spirits a little, her nurse suggests she should look for another lover and thus have her revenge on Nerone. Ottavia rejects this suggestion and abandons herself once again to her misery.
Seneca tries to comfort Ottavia and urges her to be resolute. Her page, Valletto, makes fun of the philosopher. Ottavia goes off to pray in the temple.
Seneca reflects upon the burden crowned head shave to bear. Pallade (Pallas Athene) prophesies that he will die and says that Mercurio will be the one to tell him when his time has come.
Inspite of Seneca's warning words, Nerone insists that his wishes should be carried out: Ottavia is to be sent into exile and Poppea crowned empress. When Seneca appeals to the emperor's sense of what is morally right and politically sensible, Nerone becomes angry and sends him away. Poppea beguiles Nerone into promising that she will be crowned. She accuses him of being totally dependent on Seneca, which offends Nerone deeply, whereupon he sentences Seneca to death.
Ottone complains bitterly to Poppea and laments over the agonies he is suffering because of his great love for her and his jealousy of Nerone. Poppea merely scorns him. At this he decides to revenge himself on her. He turns to his former mistress, Drusilla, for help, and Drusilla can scarcely believe her good fortune that his feelings have changed so radically.
Act Two
Mercurio visits Seneca at home and announces that the philosopher is about to die. Seneca, with no trace of fear, glorifies his fate. The captain, Liberto, serves Seneca with the death warrant. The philosopher remains quite calm and asks him to report to the emperor that Seneca is already dead and buried. He then comforts his friends and gives instructions for the bath to be prepared in which he intends to die.
At Nerone's court, Valletto and a chamber-maid are teasing each other. In transports of delight, Nerone extols the pleasures of loving Poppea to his friend Lucano.
Ottone cannot banish Poppea from his thoughts and is deeply ashamed of himself for having wanted to take his revenge on her. Ottavia orders Ottone to kill Poppea, and to do so dressed as a woman, so as to be safer and disguise his true identity. When he refuses, she threatens to blacken his name with Nerone. Drusilla is happy because Ottone is coming back to her. Valletto makes fun of Ottavia's old nurse.
Ottone tells Drusilla of the empress´ order and asks her to lend him some garments. Drusilla agrees to help him. Poppea is triumphant when she hears of Seneca's death and prays to Amor to stand by her in her quest for power. Arnalta warns her yet again about becoming too ambitious, but Poppea merely has her sing her to sleep, as if she hadn't a care in the world.
Amor comes down from heaven to protect Poppea from Ottone. Ottone, in disguise, is put to flight by Amor. Poppea wakes up and thinks she has seen Drusilla. Amor decides that Poppea is to ascend the throne that very day.
Act Three
Drusilla is eagerly awaiting the news of the death of her rival, Poppea, in order to be able to lead a life in happiness with Ottone at last. Arnalta comes in with the lictor and his retinue, who have come to arrest Drusilla for supposedly having tried to kill Poppea.
Nerone interrogates Drusilla. In order to protect Ottone, she says that she herself was responsible for the attempt on Poppea's life. Nerone becomes very angry and sentences her to death.
Ottone learns of the fate of the innocent Drusilla. He confronts Nerone and admits that he was the one who tried to kill Poppea and tells the emperor that he acted on Ottavia's orders. Thereupon Nerone spares Ottone's life and sends him into exile with Drusilla. The empress Ottavia is to be banished as well.
Nerone promises Poppea that he will marry her that same day. Ottavia is filled with sadness and says farewell to her home and her family. Arnalta is delighted at the thought that she is to become the confidante of an empress.
Poppea is crowned empress by the consuls and tribunes in the name of the people of Rome and the Roman Senate. Amor descends from heaven again, accompanied by Venere (Venus), to make Poppea a goddess on earth.
Translation: Susan Bollinger
© Bavarian State Opera