The Coronation of Poppea: a murderous collaboration

Directed by David Berthold, NIDA’s Artistic Director In Residence, the bold new production is set to take audiences on a compelling journey through Nero's Rome, exploring themes of power, lust, and betrayal.

“This is indisputably one of the great music dramas,” said David Berthold. “The way it unpacks power and sex is utterly contemporary, and Elena’s new version amplifies that. On the surface, love triumphs. But there is so much cost involved in that triumph that we are forced to consider the beasts and betrayals that might lurk within us.

“Given the raw, human bones of the story and the electric way in which Elena has rebuilt the music, it seemed clear that our production needed to be set and lived in the here and now. It’s a perfect project for young artists and practitioners across so many disciplines from both schools to come together to stretch and strengthen their talents and capacities.”   

The role of Poppea is played by 22-year-old Eden Shifroni, a promising young singer who made the move from jazz to opera, and Nero is played by Daniel Ott, 25, a former rugby-playing student from Maitland, NSW.

The cast of The Coronation of Poppea is made up of 16 opera students from Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the score is performed by 20 student musicians under the direction of conductor, Professor Stephen Mould.

“The music is delightful and surprising,” said Professor Mould, who is Senior Lecturer in Conducting and Opera Studies at Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He says the reimagined instrumentation by Elena Kats-Chernin includes modern sounds from the electric organ, Hawaiian guitars, banjo, saxophone and temple blocks. There are no violins in this orchestra, only violas and lower strings, alongside an extended percussion section. The Sydney Conservatorium of Music purchased a cimbasso – an instrument between a tuba and a trombone – especially for The Coronation of Poppea.

Composer Elena Kats-Chernin, a world-class Australian composer and an alumna of Sydney Conservatorium of Music, said The Coronation of Poppea is “an opera of high emotions, power battles, betrayals and passion. We wanted it to feel modern and have a jazzy feel.”

All design, costume, props and effects, technical theatre and stage management, and scenic construction technology roles are filled by NIDA students. Designs are by Rebecca Howarth and Cosette Mangas. The NIDA Design course is led by award-winning theatre designer Bob Cousins.

The Coronation of Poppea is the third co-production between Sydney Conservatorium of Music and NIDA, an ambitious and ground-breaking partnership between the two major performing arts tertiary institutions. In 2021, A Midsummer Night’s Dream was directed by Kate Gaul, and in 2002, The Magic Flute was directed by Clemence Williams.

In 2024, there is a plan for four brand new short operas created by Composing students from Sydney Conservatorium of Music and Writing students from NIDA.

NIDA CEO Liz Hughes said: “NIDA is excited to collaborate with our friends at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music for our third operatic co-production. This valuable partnership will provide over 30 students across Design, Costume, Props and Set Construction and Technical Theatre Stage Management with the important and practical skills needed to take them onto careers in the arts and entertainment industries.”