the rape of lucretia

BRITTEN

STONY BROOK OPERA, STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY

2016

FULL STAGE - CHORUS AREA ON LEFT, WOMEN'S AREA ON PLATFORM, MEN'S AREA ON RIGHT

THE MALE AND FEMALE CHORUS

THE FEMALE CHORUS SINGS WITH LUCRETIA

THE SOLDIER'S AREA

TARQUINIUS POLISHES HIS GUN

THE WOMEN'S AREA - A LARGE CEILING FAN SPUN ABOVE

TARQUINIUS IS GOADED INTO TESTING LUCRETIA'S FAITHFULNESS

THE TITLE SCENE - IN LUCRETIA'S ROOM

LUCRETIA INVADES THE CHORUS AREA AND STABS HERSELF AS MALE CHORUS WATCHES AGHAST

Directed by Ted Altaschuler

Set Design: Reid Thompson

Costume Design: Beth Goldenberg

Lighting Design: Caitlin Smith Rappaport

Photographs: Reid Thompson, Caitlin Smith Rappaport

For this university production of Britten’s grim chamber opera Director Ted Altschuler conceived of the Rome we were to depict as the site of a recent earthquake, and a more modern story than the ancient times specified in Britten’s libretto. We wanted 3 areas: One representing the home of Lucretia for the women of Rome, One for the men at war, and one for the Male and Female Chorus (two singers). The two Chorus singers were people in 20th century times, in some sort of archive of files and papers, excavating the past and lamenting the darkness of the story they had to tell. Our Female Chorus was a courageous and talented blind performer, who used the space beautifully. The women’s space was an elevated platform with a raked deck with a Roman mosaic floor, Rubble was all around, showing the effects of the recent earthquake. The men’s space was in front of a military tent, surrounded by semiautomatic weapons among the rubble.