American opera needs ‘The Comet / Poppea.’ Yuval Sharon’s experimental dialogue with history is exceptional in every way

On one half of the revolving stage of Yuval Sharon’s “The Comet / Poppea” is an adaptation of Claudio Monteverdi’s “The Coronation of Poppea.” On the other half, based on W.E.B. On one half of a revolving stage at Geffen Contemporary at MOCA is an adaptation of Claudio Monteverdi’s “The Coronation of Poppea.” One of the earliest operas in the repertory, it remains one of the most luxuriantly sexy — an arresting purveyor of the pleasure of iniquity. Anthony Roth Costanzo and Nardus Williams superbly portray Nero and Poppea in Yuval Sharon’s opera “The Comet / Poppea.” But “Comet / Poppea” is much more than that. And what American opera needs most of all is “The Comet / Poppea.” It has huge ramifications for the wide world we now occupy, what with growing arsenals of potential Neros and nukes.