If one composer could be considered to put early Baroque opera prominently on Melbourne’s musical map, it would have to be Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643). Multiple performances of his Orfeo (1607) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (1643) have met with huge success and played to full houses in recent decades. Despite the inclusion of non-human entities, the composer’s last opera explores thematic material that remains essentially human and relatable. Music historian Ellen Rosand has called it “an extraordinary glorification of lust and ambition”, a defensible position considering the moral ambiguities of a plot that highlights some of the less attractive aspects of human nature.
This production – a collaboration between the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music Opera, the Early Music Studio and VCA Design and Production – was first prepared for the Master of Music (Opera Performance) students in 2021, but production plans were interrupted by COVID-19 lockdowns. Although the 2021 modified version, running to approximately two rather than three hours, has been retained, what was presented at the Grant St Theatre was a substantial work that was not only a splendid educational opportunity for students in the musical and creative teams, but also a highly rewarding experience for the capacity audiences, especially those who were able to see both casts. With four performances over three days, it may have been asking a lot of young singers, who often sang more than one role, but it was fascinating for an audience to see different approaches to a role that was usually double cast. Choosing what to cut would have been a major undertaking for Director Jane Davidson and her team.
With an eye (and ear) to Historically Informed Performance, Musical Director, Donald Nicolson, and his Early Music Ensemble of nine musicians provided a secure underpinning for the singers. Two recorder players, strings, chamber organ and harpsichord were mainly used for orchestral passages, while arias were generally accompanied by Nicolson on the organ with a variety of appropriate registrations. Although a compromise, musical choices worked extremely well on the whole and were well suited to the voices and the venue.
Grant St Theatre is an intimate space that could easily look crowded, particularly with the musicians taking up a quarter of the stage. Emma Ashton’s set design featuring four columns of various sizes was inspired. The largest central column provided the main performance space for the Nero and Poppea, while two smaller ones “housed” others. Retractable diaphanous curtains were transformed from column uprights to backgrounds and props for hiding, wrapping and playing. Overhead lighting added surprise and drama as characters were revealed within the columns in successive scene changes.
Following a short overture and puffs of cloudlike smoke the three deities entered – first Fortune and Virtue swirled in to struggle for supremacy, and then Amore (Cupid) appeared to claim supremacy in human affairs. Francesco Busenello’s libretto makes it clear that Virtue has had its day and that Love will triumph. It was also clear that in this production there would be an emphasis on humour. Given all the horrible things people do to each other in this opera, comedy does not readily spring to mind despite the promise of a celebratory coronation in the tiltle. We know the story: Nero is a cruel tyrant who lusts after the ambitious Poppea and wants to get rid of his wife Ottavia; the jealous and despairing Ottavia plots to kill Poppea; and Poppea gets rid of Nero’s old tutor Seneca by persuading Nero that he might interfere with their marriage plans. So we have unrequited love, suicide, attempted murder and multiple banishments. Not exactly the stuff of comedy. But the way this production highlighted the comic element gave the whole greater humanity as well as making it extremely entertaining. And it felt right.
As Amore, Sarah Louise Amos was an energetic presence, colluding with the audience in a knowing way. While the costuming was generally quite elaborate, in the case of the deities less might have been more. Why La Fortuna, La Virtu and Amore were costumed almost identically, and, later Mercury appeared to Seneca wearing an elaborate costume that seemed to have little relation to traditional notions of that deity was hard to fathom.
Despite countertenors becoming more prominent in roles originally sung by castrati, modern audiences are accustomed to seeing female singers in male roles – think Mozart’s Cherubino, Strauss’s Octavian, and a host of Handel’s characters – so, having the role of Nero sung by mezzo-sopranos in this production seemed par for the course. Both Tessa McKenna and Brittney Northcott were outstanding. Very different in vocal production, with McKenna having a brighter tone and more firmly anchored support on the whole, their performances were mature and convincing. Their Poppeas also differed vocally; Ashley Chua was physically and vocally more delicate, even though she emphasised Poppea’s ambitions, whereas Chloe Taylor’s luscious soprano leant more towards the sensuously erotic. The famous duet that ends the opera was exquisitely sung by Chua and Northcott; you could not have wished for a more ravishing blend of voices. More romantic and passionate, Taylor and McKenna also blended well and sang with fuller tone.
In some ways the two singers undertaking the important role of Ottone could not have been more different. Baritone Isaac Burgess and mezzo-soprano Samantha Anderson-Mayes both gave committed performances with Burgess gaining vocal and dramatic strength as he went and Anderson-Mayes soft and highly expressive throughout. The small venue ensured that every note of her very lovely voice was audible, and her gentle immersion in the role created great sympathy for Ottone when he is ordered by the jealous Ottavia to kill the woman he pines for. As Drusilla, the woman who pines for him, Phoebe Tait and Sofia Imperatore were effective, their soprano voices and acting full of bright energy.
Two strong mezzos sang the role of Ottavia, and for this listener, it was Sophie McKendrick who made the strongest impression on the night. She was wonderful. Her voice was strong, controlled, free, even and beautiful. Ottavia certainly has a vicious streak, which Erin Absalom conveyed with relish in a strong matinee performance, but McKendrick’s interpretation made her a more pitiable character.
Any audience member unfamiliar with Leyland Jones’ singing would have been astonished at the quality of his extraordinary bass voice. His Seneca carried all the weight and gravitas required of the role – a substantial figure with a substantial voice. Unfortunately, he had been stricken with one of Melbourne’s many viruses and was unable to sing for the matinee performance, acting out the part while Sonny Li sang from the orchestra space. Although the performance as a whole lacked the dramatic impact of the night before, Li gave a strong vocal performance and Jones’ acting was commendable. As part of the training for young singers, the circumstances provided a valuable experience in adaption.
Lively spirits and comedy ruled in most of the other roles. As well as singing Amore, Millie Brake was an eager Valetto, with Zoë Lancaster a vivid presence with a most pleasant well-projected voice as Darmigella. Lancaster was also terrific as Second soldier – a small role that she and her First soldier counterpart, Martyn Arends made their own.
Another standout performance came from Mia Koutsoumidis as Arnalta. She and Saskia Mascitti alternated in the roles of Poppea’s nurse Arnalta and Ottavia’s Nutrice, and both showed considerable comic flair in addition to well-produced mezzo-soprano voices. But Koutsoumidi’s final number was brilliant as she rejoiced in her social elevation with Poppea’s coronation. Her lullaby as she soothed Poppea was gorgeously warm and caressing, but her connection with the audience and sheer exuberance for her final comic aria displayed great timing and physical agility. It acted as a joyous heralding of the divine coronation duet.
Many of the singers have appeared in Victorian Opera productions and are becoming seasoned performers, but this production has stretched their skills. Carefully nurtured by Jane Davidson, their tutors and teachers, this project has given them an opportunity to shine within their developing talents. It was thrilling to see.
Photo supplied.
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Heather Leviston reviewed Claudio Monteverdi’s ”L’incoronazione di Poppea”, presented by the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music at the Grant St. Theatre on July 24 at 7pm and on July 25 at 2pm, 2025.
