Casting
| Position | Name | Role |
| Chant / Singer | Jean-Paul FOUCHECOURT | Arnalta |
| Chant / Singer | Nicole HEASTON | Drusilla |
| Chant / Singer | Denis SEDOV | Séneque |
| Chant / Singer | Charlotte HELLEKANT | Antoine |
| Chant / Singer | Sylvie BRUNET | Octave |
| Chant / Singer | Anne Sofie VON OTTER | Néron |
| Chant / Singer | Mireille DELUNSCH | Poppée |
| Compositeur / Composer | Claudio MONTEVERDI | |
| Direction musicale / Conductor | Marc MINKOWSKI | |
| Livret / libretto | G.F. BUSENELLO | |
| Mise en scène / Stage Director | klaus Michael GRUBER | |
| Orchestre / Orchestra | LES MUSICIENS DU LOUVRE |
Line producer
Anne TARDIEU
Poppea wants to be crowned Empress of Rome. To achieve this, she has to marry Nero, a fickle and moody despot. She succeeds with the help of Love after a long series of complicated episodes. For everything conspires against her coronation. Nero’s wife, Ottavia, the daughter of an earlier Roman emperor, is out to do anything to prevent Poppea from achieving her ends. Nero’s closest advisor, Seneca, tries, in the course of a memorable and violent scene, to dissuade him from marrying Poppea. Ottone, her previous lover, whose unbridled passion swings between love and hate, at the request of Ottavia tries to assassinate Poppea in cold blood, having disguised himself in the clothes of Drusilla, her lady-in-waiting. Poppea seduces Nero during two great scenes of sensual love which lead to the complete satisfaction of her desires. She drives Ottone away and gets the emperor to agree to the death of Seneca, who nevertheless commits suicide before there has been a chance to assassinate him. Love thwarts Ottavia’s schemes by holding back Ottone’s hand just as he is about to plunge a dagger into Poppea’s breast. Nero repudiates his wife, sends Ottone and Drusilla into exile and marries Poppea. Her coronation sends Rome ablaze with enthusiasm and the ceremonial comes to an end with a love duet. Virtue and Fortune have caused Love to prosper.
A memorable production from the 2000 Festival d’Aix, this recording of “The Coronation of Poppea” almost never saw the light of day. The evening of the live performance, the rain almost completely sabotaged the recording, which was finally wrapped up late in the night.
Which is fortunate, because Marc Minkowski at the head of his “Musiciens
du Louvre” approaches perfection with a powerful, theatrical energy. The high class cast includes Anne Sofie von Otter as an arrogant Nero, Mireille Delunsch as a fanciful Poppea, as well as extraordinary tragedian Sylvie Brunet as Octavia and Charlotte Hellekant as Ottone, Poppea’s unfortunate spouse.
Klaus Michael Grüber’s excellent direction brings out the more subtle psychological drives inherent in Monteverdi’s greatest masterpiece. The superb set decoration is by Gilles Aillaud.
A truly extraordinary production!
Anne Sofie von Otter Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, Anne Sofie von Otter Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Klaus Michael Grüber, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Klaus Michael Grüber, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Klaus Michael Grüber Mireille Delunsch, Klaus Michael Grüber Mireille Delunsch, Klaus Michael Grüber Mireille Delunsch Monteverdi, Mireille Delunsch Monteverdi, Anne Sofie von Otter Klaus Michael Grüber, Anne Sofie von Otter Klaus Michael Grüber Mireille Delunsch, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Mireille Delunsch, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Mireille Delunsch Monteverdi, Klaus Michael Grüber Monteverdi, Anne Sofie von Otter Mireille Delunsch, Anne Sofie von Otter Mireille Delunsch Monteverdi, Festival d'Aix-en-Provence Monteverdi, Anne Sofie von Otter Monteverdi,
