The Coronation of Poppea, King’s Head Theatre, London

A jazz-infused Monteverdi opera takes some getting used to, but in this case it’s worth the effort. Alex Silverman’s orchestration of The Coronation of Poppea for soprano saxophone, double bass and piano is quirky but doesn’t tread too heavily on the composer’s toes. It is well suited to playwright Mark Ravenhill’s modern staging for OperaUpClose. Updating the drama to a modern setting, Ravenhill strips the story to its core themes: lust, greed and the ruthless pursuit of power.

In the process, he reduces the cast from 21 to seven but they manage to generate the commotion of an ensemble three times their size.

The action is launched with a stream of expletives: not for nothing is Ravenhill dubbed the godfather of in-yer-face theatre. But the gesture is too self-conscious and does little for this 1643 tale of adultery between the Emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea. However, the tension mounts rapidly, with plenty of canoodling, writhing, and an occasional grope. The pinnacle is Seneca’s suicide in a messy bloodbath (literally), prompting worried looks from spectators within splashing range. Meanwhile, the jazzy facelift enhances the overall effect, making Monteverdi’s slinky melodies sound all the more seductive.

Michael Nyman’s additional aria foretelling Nero and Poppea’s grisly comeuppance is more problematic. Showcasing Nyman’s blend of driving rhythms and circular melodies, it is arresting in its own right but disrupts the work’s flow and oversimplifies the opera’s ambiguous morality.

Zoë Bonner oozes sexuality as Poppea, pivoting nimbly between the roles of temptress and brattish adolescent. She is matched by Jessica Walker, a Nero of swaggering charisma. Rebecca Caine handles Ottavia’s fall from favour with considerable emotional register while David Sheppard’s Ottone clocks up some beautifully sung episodes before his reinvention as a cross-dressing laughing stock. Also good are Jassy Husk’s Drusilla, Adam Kowalczyk’s Arnalta and Liberto and Martin Nelson’s Seneca, while the small ensemble accompanies with aplomb. 

King’s Head Theatre