William Morgan (Male Chorus), Jenny Stafford (Female Chorus)

3 November

English Touring Opera are set to make a welcome return to Bath’s Theatre Royal with two emotive productions. On Monday 3 November the company will present Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia for one performance only. This acclaimed production which was awarded four stars by both The Stage and The Times is directed by English Touring Opera’s General Director Robin Norton-Hale, with musical direction by Gerry Cornelius. Here the pair reunite after their critically acclaimed production of Judith Weir’s Blond Eckbert in 2024.

In ancient Rome, Lucretia is assaulted by the tyrannical prince Tarquinius, an outrage that shatters her life and sets the stage for his own downfall.

Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia was written in the aftermath of the Second World War and reflects a world wondering how to remake itself after enormous suffering and destruction. Its exquisite score for thirteen players shows passages of beauty and lyricism wrestling with the forces of darkness. It remains a brutally relevant and chilling exploration of the abuse of power, shot through with glimmers of hope for a better world.

Performed in English with English surtitles

Running Time

2 hours (including a 20 minute interval)

ENGLISH TOURING OPERA appears at the Theatre Royal Bath on Monday 3 November with THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA and on Tuesday 4 November with THE ELIXIR OF LOVE. To book tickets contact the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 or book online at theatreroyal.org.uk

 

Photography credit:  Richard Hubert Smith