Also available on Blu-ray

Claudio Monteverdi
L’INCORONAZIONE DI POPPEA

Poppea – Miah Persson
Nerone – Sarah Connolly
Ottone – Jordi Domènech
Seneca – Franz-Josef Selig
Ottavia – Maite Beaumont
Drusilla – Ruth Rosique
Arnalta / Ottavia’s Nurse – Dominique Visse
Lucan – Guy de Mey
Valletto – William Berger
Damigella / Virtue – Judith van Wanroij
Liberto – Francisco Vas
Lictor – Josep Miquel Ramón
Fortune / Pallas Athene / Venus – Marisa Martins
Cupid – Olatz Saitua Iribar
Mercury – Josep Miquel Ramón
Praetorian soldiers – Guy de Mey / Francisco Vas

Baroque Orchestra of the Gran Teatre del Liceu
Harry Bicket, conductor

David Alden, stage director
Paul Steinberg, set designer
Buki Shiff, costume designer
Pat Collins, lighting designer

Recorded live at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona, February 2009

Bonus:
- Illustrated Synopsis
- Cast Gallery

Picture format: NTSC 16:9 anamorphic
Sound format: Dolby Digital 2.0 & 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Catalan
Running time: 183 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

R E V I E W:

"It is interesting that in the recent history of opera, works from the 17th and 18th centuries have become familiar fare, and it is difficult to believe that this is the first time that L' Incoronazione di Poppea has been presented at the Liceu, 366 years after its premiere in Venice.

For this, its first production of a Monteverdi opera, the Liceu has chosen one of the most interesting stage directors of the present day, particularly in the baroque repertoire. I am referring to David Alden, whose works were presented so frequently in Munich during the time of Sir Peter Jonas.

This production is not a new work, since it was premiered in Cardiff in 1997, has been revived on numerous occasions in Munich and has also been seen at the Palais Garnier in Paris. David Alden knows how to play with the sensuality and the humour of the opera, and directs actors magnificently. With imagination, spectacular lighting and careful direction, Alden was able to present Poppea’s scenes with an outstanding sensuality and eroticism. The costumes are very bright and colourful, emphasizing the figure of Poppea, making her into a real movie star. The production could have seemed iconoclastic, but in my opinion was not.

The magnificent libretto of Gian Francesco Busenello (combined with the music of Monteverdi) gives us several comic roles (the Nurse, Arnalta, Drusilla, Valletto and the Damigella) and Alden emphasises the humour of all of them. More debatable is Alden’s interpretation of the three Goddesses, especially Amor, as belonging to the comic cast. However, in other ways Alden is very respectful towards the music and there is no sign of provocation in his treatment of the great arias for Ottavia nor in the duets of Poppea and Nero.

Harry Bicket was in charge of the musical direction. He is a specialist in this type of music and he gave a good performance, particularly in the more intimate passages. He gave very good support to the singers, although the intensity was not always at the same level, and lacked a little spark in the comic pages. The reduced Liceu’s Baroque Orchestra, gave a good performance under his direction. The large cast demanded by this opera worked very well, without low points and with some extraordinary contributions.

It is difficult to imagine a more credible and convincing Poppea than the Swedish soprano Miah Persson. Her beauty, outstanding figure, her acting abilities and her beautiful voice, together with her great expressiveness, make her the Poppea of one’s dreams. It did not seem at all strange to me that Nero fell in love with her. After offering a splendid performance, she was wonderful in the final duet “Pur ti miro, pur ti godo”, a page that it is not Monteverdi’s.

This was one of the best performances I have seen from [Sarah Connolly], as she was very credible on stage and sang wonderfully, and was an outstanding Nero.

Maite Beaumont was a magnificent Ottavia, difficult to surpass. She sang her two great scenes, the sorrowful “Disprezzata Regina” and “Addio, Rome” in a spectacular way. Ms Beaumont is another singer who is outstanding in this repertoire, which is very well adapted to her vocal characteristics.

Drusilla, Poppea’s servant (or her friend in this production) was interpreted by Ruth Rosique, who was quite good. Her voice is well suited to the role and she is also a good actress.

Franz-Josef Selig brought nobility and the necessary stoicism to Séneca, singing the part with a voice very well suited to the character. Countertenor Dominique Visse doubled as the Nurse and Arnalta and was a superb comedian...his stage presence was wonderful."

-- José M. Irurzun, MusicWeb International
Reviewing live performance of this production