Les Arts premieres 'L'incoronazione di Poppea', by Monteverdi, a story of power, ambition and passion

'Les Arts és Òpera'

• Nominated for the best award at the Opera Awards, the production will be the sensation of the last edition of the prestigious Festival d'Ais de Provença
• García Alarcón and Ted Huffmann conduct the first Monteverdi de Les Arts, with soprano Jacquelyn Stucker and countertenor Nicolò Balducci

Valencia (05/05/2023). Leopoldo García Alarcón and Ted Huffman mark the first foray of Les Arts into the repertoire of Claudio Monteverdi, considered the “stop of the opera”, with 'L'incoronazione di Poppea', which premieres next week, May 11.

Jesús Iglesias Noriega, artistic director of Les Arts, has presented, in the press round, this title, which has qualified as “one of the most ambitious bets of the season”, together with the musical director of the production, Leonardo García Alarcón; the stage director, Ted Huffman, and the soprano Jacquelyn Stucker, who plays the lead role.

As Iglesias Noriega has pointed out, "Monteverdi is a fundamental composer in the history of Western music and essential in the repertoire of an opera theater with an international vocation. However, the fet d'include'l in the program was an event for all lovers of the operatic genre that Les Arts offer with some ingredients “immillorable artists”.

The production of 'L'incoronazione di Poppea', which premieres next May 11 at the Teatre Martín i Soler - the artistic director has recalled - is one of the most celebrated muntats of the last few years. Realized in co-production with the Festival d'Ais de Provença and the Opera de Rennes, the new premiere will be “the sensation” in the last edition of the prestigious French festival, in addition to being triad by professionals in the sector as one of the five best opera productions in the International Opera Awards.

Leonardo García Alarcón assumes the musical direction of 'L'incoronazione di Poppea', with the new Cappella Mediterranea formation in the orchestra. García Alarcón is considered one of the great specialists in Renaissance and Barocism on the international circuit.

The Argentine conductor and his ensemble are regular guests at the main ancient music sales and festivals: Ambronay, Saint Denis, Victoria Hall in Geneva, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, the Château de Versailles, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Concertgebouw d'Amsterdam, Canergie Hall in New York or the Colón in Buenos Aires. Cappella Mediterranea is the reference group in the operas of Paris and Amsterdam for the latest productions of this musical period.

According to García Alarcón, with 'L'incoronazione di Poppea', the last opera, Monteverdi marks the path of what will be the opera throughout the history. 'Poppea' is the flip side of 'L'Orfeo', the second opera. “In 'L'Orfeo' it is about overcoming the death of music, while in 'Poppea' it provokes all the feelings and passions, it is the synthesis of human life and of everything that the operatic genre will offer from that moment on,” he explains.

After his successes in previous seasons of Les Arts with 'Les mamelles de Tirésias', by Poulenc, or 'Trouble in Tahití', by Bernstein, Ted Huffman performs his first muntatge for the Valencian opera house.

With an original set by Johannes Schütz, a stage adaptation by Anna Wörl, costumes by Astrid Klein and lighting by Bertrand Couderc, Huffman's work will captivate international critics in its premiere at Ais de Provença, which praises “the virtuosity, elegance and audacity of his direction.” d'actors”, “his enormous talent” to offer “a moment of stratospheric opera”.

The young North American director, with a sensitive scenic approach and, now, of a beautiful maxima, subratlla, mitjançant l'expressió, el gest i el moviment, la modernitat irresistible de la plot de l'opera de Monteverdi: un cant al desig ia les passions de l'ésser humà surprise contemporani cinc Segles after the premiere.

Les Arts brings together a young but solid cast with soprano Jacquelyn Stucker in the lead role. The North-American interpreter, who has already received some excellent reviews for her Poppea a França, addresses her third great paper in Les Arts, after her most notable interventions in 'Ariodante' and, finally, in 'Don Giovanni'.

On his coast, Nicolò Balducci embodies Nerone. For six 24 years, the Italian singer has joined one of the most promising countertenors in Italy. After winning important competitions dedicated to baroque music, he accumulated important commitments in venues and festivals dedicated to ancient music.

The distribution also includes emerging specialists in this repertoire, former students and artists from the current promotion of the Center de Perfectionament.

The Corunya countertenor Alberto Miguélez Rouco (Ottone) makes his debut in Valencia and the North American bassist Alex Rosen (Seneca) returns, who will make his debut in the Main Hall with Marc Minkowski in 'Alcina'.

After their transition to Les Arts training, the tenors Joel Williams (Arnalta/Nutrice/first family member) and Jorge Franco (Lucano/soldat I/second family member) returned to the Teatre Martín i Soler.

The list of artists is complete with the singers of the Center de Perfection de Les Arts: Mariana Sofía (Ottavia/Virtù), Rosa Dávila (Fortuna/Drusilla), Pilar Garrido (Amore/Valletto), Maximiliano Spósito (Liberto/soldat II) and Carlos Reynoso (Littore/tercer familia).

In addition to the premiere of Dijous that you see, May 11, the Teatre Martín i Soler will host three more performances of 'L'incoronazione di Poppea' on the 13th, 14th and 16th of the month. The locations for this opera have a single price of 60 euros.