Monteverdi's "Poppea"

[Satzaroo]

Most of Monteverdi's "Poppea" is pretty pedestrian stuff, but the last four minutes contain one of the most eloquently ethereal duets in any operatic repertoire--hypnotic and memorable and eerily romantic.

[springrite]

Most of Monteverdi's "Poppea" is pretty pedestrian stuff, but the last four minutes contain one of the most eloquently ethereal duets in any operatic repertoire--hypnotic and memorable and eerily romantic.

Oh, I wouldn't want to miss the first 2 1/2 hours. A great opera through and through.

[Wendell_E]

the last four minutes contain one of the most eloquently ethereal duets in any operatic repertoire--hypnotic and memorable and eerily romantic.

Maybe this thread should be Monteverdi's  Benedetto Ferrari's "Poppea", since it's believed he wrote that final duet.   

But I can't agree the preceeding is pedestrian either.  That first Nero-Poppea scene? the death of Seneca?  And Nero's celebration of that death? Ottavia's farewell to Rome?

[The new erato]

Oh, I wouldn't want to miss the first 2 1/2 hours. A great opera through and through.

True. Monteverdis operas work through introspection and reflection (generally true for the early Baroque, Caccini is wonderful as well), not the usual flash and thunder associated with later opera. You have to listen through it, not to it.

[val]

Pedestrian?

Well, it is your opinion. I love this opera -in a period, we must remember when the distinction between recitative and arioso was not perfectly established yet. Monteverdi gives the characters a reality, a presence, that only a genius like him could have done.
The problem is that this baroque operas must have the best singers, not only the so called specialists. I had this experience recently with Cavalli's Calisto.

The version conducted by Harnoncourt, with Donath, Berberian and Söderstrom, seems, in general,excellent.

[The new erato]

The problem is that this baroque operas must have the best singers, not only the so called specialists. I had this experience recently with Cavalli's Calisto.

In my previous post, I meant Cavalli !

In particular the wonderful, natural and flexible vocal line in these works, making one feel as if the composer is working with the singer, not as in much later opera, against him/her.