On the Ethics in Monteverdi’s Coronation of Poppaea

We reflect on the scope and design of the opera Coronation of Poppaea composed by Claudio Monteverdi according to the libretto of Francesco Busonello that was first performed in 1654 during the carnival period in Venice. Matching timeless music, the opera is distinguished also by poetic lyrics on Fortune, Virtue and, in particular, Love. Surprisingly, the story is related to historic persons – Roman empress Sabina Poppaea the Younger (Poppaea) and emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (Nero). As reports on Nero indicate multiple murders, including murders of those that were closest to him, the libretto rises questions on the necessity of Virtu in achieving happiness. Our considerations indicate that the main characters in the opera are ethically sound, however, the artistic changes have made them essentially different from the underlying real persons.