Claudio Monteverdi – Máté Bella

L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) – opera exam

contemporary opera 18

24 May 2024, 7 p.m.

Eiffel Art Studios – Miklós Bánffy Stage

In Brief

Opera highlights in one part, in Italian with Hungarian and English surtitles

Performance length: , without intermissions

Monteverdi’s final work for the stage dates from 1642, meaning the dawn of the genre of opera.  It is customary to consider this music by the 75-year-old master to be the first true opera, which both back then and ever since has been praised for its originality, its melodiousness as well as for its multi-layered depiction of the human features of the characters. From all of this, it appears that Poppea’s relevance has not changed one whit over the course of the centuries. The piece will be staged by András Almási-Tóth at the Eiffel Art Studios in an unusual format: the Opera has commissioned Máté Bella to create a rescored new version spiced with contemporary musical elements.

The opera exam is a co-production of the Hungarian State Opera and the Liszt Academy of Music.

Professors: Péter Fried, Katalin Halmai, Ildikó Iván, Ingrid Kertesi, Zita Váradi
Répétiteurs: Gábor Alszászy, Gabriella Gyökér, Mariann Holló, Tamás Kéry, Péter Oberfrank, Imola Pogány, Gábor Rózsa, Emese Virág
Musical director of the Opera Department: Szabolcs Sándor
Head of Department: Andrea Meláth

Details

Location
Eiffel Art Studios – Miklós Bánffy Stage
Date
May 24, 2024
Start time
7 p.m.
End time
8:30 p.m.

Synopsis

Ottone’s fiancé Poppea and Nero are in love with each other.
Nero’s wife Ottavia is having difficulty coming to terms with this situation.
Her girlfriend and nurse Nutrice attempts to comfort her.
The abandoned Ottone finds solace in the noblewoman Drusilla.
Seneca, Nero’s former tutor, is against Nero betrothing Poppea.
Seneca annoys Poppea, so Nero sentences him to death.
Seneca obeys the order and takes his own life.
Ottavia convinces Ottone to murder Poppea.
Ottone dons a disguise: he goes to carry out the terrible assignment dressed as Drusilla.
However, Amore saves Poppea.
Nero banishes Ottone and Drusilla.
Nero then banishes Ottavia.
And he crowns Poppea.

Meanwhile, Nero’s henchmen walk the city and Poppea’s housekeeper makes a name for herself.