In 1642, Claudio Monteverdi wrote one of the most important works in all of operatic literature (Harnoncourt 138). L'Incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) is the pinnacle of the early Baroque opera style due to the presence of its rich text painting. Text painting, a technique that was perfected by Monteverdi during the seventeenth century, uses music to emphasize, dramatize, and illustrate the words. The Coronation of Poppea is such a success because Monteverdi paints such vivid characters with his music.
This web site illustrates the genius of Monteverdi's characterization by comparing two of the characters found in the opera: Nero, the Emperor of Rome; and Seneca, the Stoic philosopher. Poppea must also be included in the discussion of Nero becasue their character traits are so interwoven that one cannot explain Nero without Poppea, just as one cannnot comprehend music without understanding silence. We provide background information to help you get a sense of the times during which all of this incredible musical innovation was taking place: