How did the opening of public opera houses in Venice affect Claudio Monteverdi’s late career?

The opening of public opera houses in Venice, beginning with the Teatro di San Cassiano in 1637, served as a catalyst for an "Indian summer" of productivity in Claudio Monteverdi’s late career.1

Although Monteverdi was already in his 70s and had previously focused on his duties as maestro di cappella at San Marco Basilica, his status as the only local composer with significant operatic experience led to his immediate involvement with the new commercial theaters. This shift allowed him to apply the dramatic theories he had developed over the previous decades to a public stage, resulting in the creation of his final masterpieces, Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (1640) and L’incoronazione di Poppea (1643).21

These works are considered the first modern operas, characterized by realistic portrayals of human character and emotion. While the commercialization of Venetian opera eventually favored sensational plots and a focus on solo singers over the integrated drama Monteverdi championed, his late works successfully balanced these new trends with his own expressive, recitative-based style.13