Most operas in the early 17th century were about mythological stories or stories from the Christian religion. This story, however, is about something that happened in the history of ancient Rome. It is about the evil emperor Nero and how he married Poppea. The gods still play a part in the opera, especially Cupid.

L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) is an opera in three acts by Claudio Monteverdi. The libretto is by Giovanni Francesco Busenello. The first performance was in the Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo, Venice in 1643. It was the last opera that Monteverdi composed.