Summary
An air of mystery surrounds Monteverdi’s last opera. As the original version has been lost, musicologists have had no other choice but to use a copy whose libretto differs greatly. Nevertheless, The Coronation of Poppea remains a gem of Italian opera and stands out as an innovative and powerful work, where the music combined with dramatic action confronts us with our own contradictions.
Ambitious and cruel, the emperor Nero will do anything to achieve his ends. With no regard to his wife Octavia, he takes the irresistible Poppea as his mistress. Equally ambitious, she has her eyes set on the crown. Together, nothing and no one can stop them. With Octavia exiled, Poppea will take her place on the throne. Which one will triumph: adulterous love or carnal desire?
Stage Director

Aria Umezawa >
With her quirky, irreverent style, Aria Umezawa (she/her)’s work evokes wonder and challenges the long-established traditions of opera and classical music. The stage director, producer, and writer is a co-founder of Amplified Opera, the independent, equity-seeking opera company and current Disruptor-in-Residence at the Canadian Opera Company. Aria was Artistic Director of Opera 5 from 2012-17. Recent and upcoming engagements include Acis and Galatea with Philharmonia Baroque at Caramoor and Tanglewood (COVID19), a workshop of Vastation (Moussa) with Calgary Opera and two productions of Madama Butterfly with the Canadian Opera Company, and Hawaii Opera Theatre.
Cast
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Musical Director
Nicolas Ellis
Canada
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Poppea / Fortuna
Emma Fekete
Canada
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Ottavia / Drusilla / Virtue
Rachèle Tremblay
Canada
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Nerone
Ilanna Starr
Canadian
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Pallade / Venus / Damigella
Chelsea Kolić
Croatian-Canadian
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Ottone
Ian Sabourin
Canadian
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Arnalta / Nutrice
Sydney Frodsham
United States
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Lucano / Soldier 2
Angelo Moretti
Canadien-Italien
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Liverto / Soldier 1 / Tribuno
Mishael Eusebio
Canada
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Seneca / Littore
Matthew Li
Canada
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Mercurio / Console
Mikelis Rogers
Latvian-Canadian
ORCHESTRE DE L'AGORA
SETS / COSTUMES / LIGHTING / PRODUCTION Productions ODM inc. with the financial support of SODEC