Yesterday I was so happy to attend a performance of "L'incoronazione di Poppea" in the Hamburgische Staatsoper. Maybe the music did only survive in melody plus bass line (even without b.c. ciphers), maybe it's not composed by Monteverdi but by 27 other people - but it is fantastic. Very good singers,many of them from Poland, for example
Elzbieta Szmytka (Poppea) Jacek Laszczkowski (Nerone - soprano!!) (both also acting incredibly good) Aleksandra Kurzak (Fortuna, Damigella) And, - before I get an OT-warning - :-) there were Francesco Romano (Chitarrone, Baroque Guitar) Andrea Damiani (Arciliuto, Baroque Guitar) Joachim Held (Chitarrone, Lute) Of course, it is an acoustical problem to perform in such a big opera house. I had a very good seat in the 9th row, but I can imagine how feeble the sound of the instruments must be 20 rows behind or up in the balconies. P.S. There was also a lirone. First time seen, first time heard.
