September 30th was an important date in the English Touring Opera diary, with its new production of Coronation of Poppea opening at the splendorous Hackney Empire.

Monteverdi’s seventeenth century opera is considered by many to be a masterpiece. It is easy to see why it endures, as it contains a host of fascinating historic figures such as Nero, Poppea, Seneca the philosopher, and Ottavia, Nero’s wronged wife. The story is both fantastical, with gods flying in at opportune and inopportune moments, and also very human, packed with deep psychological insight over the human condition.

I wasn’t convinced by ETO’s newly minted English libretto which had been translated and adapted from the original Italian. There was a fair amount of “shagging” and “pissing” being used amongst the soldiers. More concerning was the fact that the libretto was rhythmically difficult or at least, very different, confounding singers and musicians alike. Thankfully these glitches in timing faded as the opera got on its way and there were some terrific singing highlights.

Kezia Bienek, as Ottavia, was superbly dignified and regal as Nero’s wronged wife. . The audience really were made to feel her pain in that plaintive soprano of hers.

Elizabeth Karani singing Drusilla was equally captivating as Otton’s loyal girlfriend. Trevor Eliot Bowes meanwhile as Seneca the philosopher, was a class act, his poetic libretto sung in his gorgeously measured bass. His death scene was breath-taking.

In many ways the strongest scenes in Coronation of Poppea concerned death. Death permeates this opera. Seneca referred to death as ‘pure’, even a ‘lover’ .Monteverdi might well have been feeling his own mortality in this opera. He died just a year after the opera launched.

Down-to-earth Arnalta (Poppea’s servant) muses whether it is better to die as a servant or a lady. She concludes that to die as a wealthy lady is much worse, as you have much more to lose!

And what of love? Love triumphs of course for Nero and Poppea, sung by Martha Jones and Jessica Cale respectively. Their love duet ‘I behold thee, was really exquisite.

A highly promising start to the ETO tour featuring an accomplished cast of singers.

Rossini’s Cenerentola (Cinderella) follows at The Hackney Empire next Saturday on the 7^th of October before ETO goes touring.

KH