L'incoronazione di Poppea (Die Krönung der Poppea)

In the organizer's words:

The allegorical figures of Love (Amor), Virtue (Virtù), and Fortune (Fortuna) contend for supremacy over mankind. Each believes in its great influence, but only one knows that it alone exercises dominion: Love. To prove this, she demonstrates the rise of the courtesan Poppea to empress of Rome. Poppea is the mistress of Emperor Nero, but she wants to rise to the top in the sign of love. Only: "love" is the wrong word, it is about the erotic driving force with which ruthless manipulation and power is exercised. Whoever loves has lost, and whoever stands in the way of Poppea's interests is ruthlessly swept aside - Nero's wife Ottavia as well as the teacher and philosopher Seneca, who dares to criticize Nero's way of life. Pleasurably and without remorse, with the most beautiful and passionate music that early Baroque opera has to offer, Poppea and Nero enjoy their victory, which ends in an enraptured love duet that remains one of the most special moments in opera history.

American director Ted Huffmann staged Claudio Monteverdi's 17th-century masterpiece with overwhelming success at the 2022 Aix-en-Provence Festival, and now the production, which recognizes our own times in the lusty fable of immorality and decadence, comes to Cologne Opera. It will be conducted by baroque specialist George Petrou, who was the musical director for "Miranda" in 2022.23. A new production of the Festival Aix-en-Provence in co-production with Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía Valencia, Opéra de Rennes, Opéra de Toulon and Oper Köln.