By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
“The Coronation of Poppea” has all the makings of a good streaming series.
At its core is a gorgeous, power-hungry woman willing to use her sexual dynamism to achieve her goal. And where you have such a heroine, or anti-heroine, there’s bound to be a powerful man driven to action and distraction by the urgings of his male parts.
“The more I kiss you,” Nero sings, “the more I caress you, the more I love you.”
Claudio Monteverdi’s 17th century based-on-true-events potboiler, directed by Jane Schoonmaker Rodgers, is being presented by the BGSU Opera Theater and the Department of Theatre and Film Friday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. in Kobacker Hall on campus. Tickets are $8.
When we first meet these archetypes Poppea (Lucy Kimbell) and Nero (Kirsten Nordland) they are fittingly in bed.
The goddesses of love (Kirsten Kidd), fortune (Deja Jennings), and virtue (Madeline Depinet), who preside over this drama, have already made their appearance debating over whose power will prevail.
While the goddess of music may be missing from this lineup, she has certainly blessed this production. The singing is excellent with voices that soar and with enunciation that allows the listener (with the help of the program notes) to follow, not only the plot, but the characters inner machinations. Those voices are beautifully back by the transparent tones of the chamber orchestra directed from the harpsichord, by musical director Kevin Bylsma.
Nero, at Poppea’s urging, wants to rid himself of his wife Octavia (Sofia Vasileiadou) But she already knows about his betrayal, and despite what others say is willing to live with it. She’s urged to take her own lover, but she declares “my heart is broken between virtue and weeping.”
This is why this would make a great series – she is a more complex character than just the aggrieved wife as she shows when she orders her rival’s murder.
The opera is full of such characters waiting to have their stories unfold. Credit these singing actors for hinting at the depths within their characters.
Ottone (Selah-Marie Castellano) is a former loverof Poppea, who cannot quench his passion for her. Even after pledging fealty to his current squeeze Drusilla (Kenzie Heaney) he confesses to the audience that Poppea still rules his heart.
There’s Seneca (Zach Sanford)) the statesman who advises going to the Senate to plead Octavia’s cause.
And then there’s Arnalta (Jonathan Kroeger) Poppea’s old nurse, who scolds her for only thinking of passion and ambition, only to rejoice at their triumph.
The cast is populated with colorful minor characters. Valletto (Andrew Puschel) is a hothead who berates Seneca and has the hots for Damigella (Emma Clark), another of Octavia’s servants. They share a lovely comic flirting scene that provides some respite from the drama.
Those hoping for a comeuppance for Nero and Poppea are likely to be disappointed, though not at all by the quality of the performance . And maybe justice will prevail in a second season.
