Amici, è giunta l'ora

Monteverdi’s Amici, è giunta l'ora is a dramatic chorus from his opera L'incoronazione di Poppea. The text, sung by Seneca, his family, and a chorus, depicts a poignant scene where Seneca contemplates death, choosing to embrace virtue even in his final moments. He speaks of death as a brief anguish, a journey to Olympus. His family and a chorus, however, express a desperate plea for him not to die, valuing the sweetness of life. The STB voicing provides a rich texture for this emotional debate, highlighting the tension between philosophical acceptance and the human fear of mortality. The contrasting sentiments of Seneca’s philosophical resignation and the pleas of his household create a powerful dramatic moment.