Timeless Tragedy: USU Opera to Perform 'The Rape of Lucretia'

LOGAN, Utah — The Utah State University Opera will bring “The Rape of Lucretia,” a masterpiece of the operatic literature, to life this January. Performances will take place Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. in the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall.

“The Rape of Lucretia” by English composer Benjamin Britten narrates the tragic mytho-historical story of the faithful Lucretia and the events leading to her assault by Prince Tarquinius, the errant son of a pre-Republic Roman tyrant.

“It’s moving, sad and beautiful, and relates to anyone who has ever had to come to terms with a world that is often messy and doesn’t go the way we would choose,” said Opera Theatre Director Dallas Aksoy. “I’m very selective about the repertoire that I program, and this piece is of the highest quality.”

The chamber opera will be conducted by Maestro Daniel Wachs and guest directed by Vanessa Ballam. Ballam recently joined the Department of Theatre Arts teaching faculty at Utah State University to launch the new Musical Theatre BFA.

“I’ve worked with Vanessa on a variety of productions for the last fifteen years,” Aksoy said. “I knew from the outset that I wanted her influence on this piece and trusted that she would be able to direct the narrative with the depth and delicacy that it deserves.”

This work was instrumental in ushering in a new golden age of English opera in the mid-20th century.

“The music in ‘The Rape of Lucretia’ is intimate and intense. Britten uses a small ensemble of instruments to create a highly atmospheric sound, shifting between dissonant, tense moments and lyrical, poignant passages,” Ballam said. “Expect an emotionally rich and nuanced musical experience that mirrors the tragic events unfolding on stage.”

As a chamber opera, “The Rape of Lucretia” will have a smaller cast and only two acts as opposed to the larger scale of grand operas.

“Our production is typical in the sense that audience will come see a story told onstage through music and dramatic action,” Aksoy said, “but as we are performing in the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall, we have made some adaptations to better fit the concert hall venue.”

USU Department of Theatre Arts Professor Dennis Hassan and graduate student Audrey Kearl created a set design suited for a concert hall featuring large draped fabrics and projections that provide audiences a sense of different scenes while creating visual interest.

“We have chosen to set our version of ‘The Rape of Lucretia’ in the Rome of WWII, hoping to mirror the desecration of Lucretia with the destruction of Rome that happened during that time,” Ballam said. “I also hope that contemporizing the setting will help it feel more topical and poignant to our audience.”

Tickets can be purchased online or at the CCA Box office located in the Daryl Chase Fine Arts Center. For more information, visit USU’s online events calendar.