In 1637 public opera was started in Venice. Monteverdi, who was now in his 70s, wrote operas for Venice. "Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria" (1640) and "L'incoronazione di Poppea" (1642) form a brilliant end to his career. After the performance of this opera he made a six-month trip to Lombard and Mantua, where again he had to argue at the court about not being paid his pension. After he returned to Venice he was ill for nine days and then died.