Love conquers all โ ruthlessly and irresistibly โ as Emperor Nero and his mistress Poppea remove the obstacles to their union. At Barcelonaโs Gran Teatre del Liceu David Aldenโs visually sumptuous production, with its suggestions of a giant game of chess, puts the operaโs potent blend of sex and politics in a context that sets ancient against modernโ just as the action juxtaposes scurrilous comedy and stark drama. Monteverdiโs magnificent score, meanwhile, accommodates intrigue, wit, nobility, tragedy and sensuality, and, led by the intense Sarah Connolly and the delectable Miah Persson, the cast brings both drama and music startlingly to life.
