Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia (1946), with a libretto by Ronald Duncan, tells the story of Lucretia and the events that follow her rape by Tarquinius, an act that ultimately leads to her suicide and sets wider political events in motion.
Director Julia Burbach and designer Bettina John set the opera within a photographic studio. At its centre stood a white bed surrounded by layers of bedding, creating an isolated space in which the drama unfolded. Lucretia remained visually tied to this world through a long dress with an extended train, while a stark white circle separated her from the surrounding space. Beyond this boundary, studio equipment remained visible, reinforcing the sense that Lucretia was constantly being observed and exposed. The photographic studio became a way of exploring the opera’s themes of witnessing, judgement, and public scrutiny. The audience observed the events alongside the Male and Female Chorus, who frame the story through a Christian perspective and reflect upon its moral implications. Separated from Lucretia by the white space, they became witnesses rather than participants, raising questions about the responsibility of those who observe injustice without intervening.
At the centre of the production was Lucretia herself: a woman placed under scrutiny and ultimately unable to live with the stain that society attaches to her after the assault. The design sought to make visible both her isolation and the gaze of those around her, placing the audience within that act of observation.
Set and Costume Design Bettina John
Director Julia Burbach
Musical director and conductor Peter Selwyn
Lighting design Robert Price
With the Orpheus Sinfonia
Cast:
James Corrigan | Junius
Bethan Langford | Lucretia
Benjamin Lewis | Tarquinius
Rob Murray | Male Chorus (first week)
Nick Prichard | Male Chorus (second week)
Natasha Jouhl | Female Chorus
Claire Swale | Lucia
Katharine Taylor-Jones | Bianca
Andrew Tipple | Collatinus
About this production
♦♦♦♦ Stars reviews
“thoroughly engaging”
“Bettina John creates a striking design within a moon-like circle of white fabric with six versatile red boxes and white bed linen”
“it is difficult to imagine a more powerful production of this gripping chamber opera”
“…boldly directed by Julia Burbach, a staff director at the Royal Opera House, and compactly designed by Bettin John.”
——This production won the Off West End Award 2018——