L'Incoronatione di Poppea

Historically, the Roman imperial court might have been a place fraught with violence, but in Ole Anders Tandberg's 2010 production of Claudio Monteverdi's 1643 opus for the Norwegian National Opera it becomes a virtual cauldron of blood as it relates the conspiracies and executions tied to the megalomaniac Emperor Nero's decision to set aside his wife, Ottavia, and wed Poppea. Here the action plays out on a curved white rise—entirely devoid of set decoration or furniture—that is repeatedly splattered with red paint as characters (dressed in white, black, and various hues of gray) are slaughtered or compelled to commit suicide. This rendition has no place for subtlety, and the lurid visuals are matched by a performance that emphasizes speed and power over nuance. For the most part, however, the instrumentalists and the singers—including Birgitte Christensen as Poppea, Jacek Laszczkowski as Nero, and Patricia Bardon as Ottavia—meet the challenge. Conductor Alessandro De Marchi drives the score hard, but that is in accordance with Tandberg's vision; less welcome is De Marchi's occasional tinkering that adds some contemporary-sounding riffs to scene transitions. A more traditional account—such as that in the superb Monteverdi Cycle from the Netherlands Opera (VL-11/07)—is a safer choice, but this electrifying rethinking makes a strong alternative. Presented in PCM stereo on DVD and Blu-ray, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)