Curves with prescribed symmetry and associated representations of mapping class groups

Let C be a complex smooth projective algebraic curve endowed with an action of a finite group G such that the quotient curve has genus at least 3. We prove that if the G-curve C is very general for these properties, then the natural map from the group algebra $${{\mathbb {Q}}}G$$ Q G to the algebra of $${{\mathbb {Q}}}$$ Q -endomorphisms of its Jacobian is an isomorphism. We use this to obtain (topological) properties regarding certain virtual linear representations of a mapping class group. For example, we show that the connected component of the Zariski closure of such a representation often acts $${{\mathbb {Q}}}$$ Q -irreducibly in a G-isogeny space of $$H^1(C; {{\mathbb {Q}}})$$ H 1 ( C ; Q ) and with image a $${{\mathbb {Q}}}$$ Q -almost simple group.