Tryon Festival Theatre, February 21 - 24
SONIC ILLINOIS: THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA
Music by Benjamin Britten
Libretto by Ronald Duncan 
 Based on André Obey’s play Le Viol de Lucrèce
Julie Jordan Gunn, conductor
Kirsten Pullen, director

"The chamber opera The Rape of Lucretia was premiered at the Glyndebourne Festival in 1946 amid the destruction wrought by World War II. It was the only opera produced that year, with a small but illustrious company of artists and costumes paid for with government vouchers. Benjamin Britten had been drawn throughout his career to larger explorations of the theme of evil in the world (Billy Budd, Peter Grimes), a theme which must have resonated particularly strongly to the British public in those days. Lucretia’s story is a very old one, having inspired works by Titian, Rembrandt, and Shakespeare, about the rape and suicide of a Roman noblewoman 2,500 years ago. Historians have connected the tragedy to the downfall of the Tarquin dynasty, the abolishment of hereditary rule in Rome, and the establishment of republican thought in Europe. In adapting André Obey’s play Le viol de Lucrèce, Britten and librettist Ronald Duncan retained the historical context, especially in their treatment of the role of Junius, the general who sees an opportunity to use Prince Tarquinius’ worst instincts to overthrow the hated Etruscans. But the opera is largely told with great attention to personal and intimate relationships, and by providing a narrative framing that struggles with the meaning of good and evil in a Christian context. 

The cast and design team have wrestled with the questions raised by the score: the contrasts between light and darkness, male and female, blame and forgiveness. The opera strikes a balance between abstract allegory and the most personal and human connections in a way that raises questions impossible to answer fully. 

Our narrators ultimately conclude with these words: “Since time commenc’d or life began/Great love has been defil’d by fate or man/Now with worn words and these brief notes we try/to harness song to human tragedy.” 

—Julie Jordan Gunn, conductor​

Press Coverage 

Illinois Public Media
All Female Production Team Leads Lyric Theatre's Production of "Lucretia"

Cast
LUCIA - Molly Abrams** Berit Johnson*
BIANCA - Olivia Gronenthal** Michaela Wright*
LUCRETIA - Sadie E. Cheslak* Thereza Lituma**
TARQUINIUS - Scott Cuva Robert Grisbrook†
JUNIUS - Owen Connor Stout Geoffrey Schmelzer†
COLLATINUS - Sergio Andrés Martínez Salazar
FEMALE CHORUS - Gabrielle LaBare* Paige Luttrell**
MALE CHORUS - Ryan Bryce Johnson** Andrew Turner*

*February 21, 23  / **February 22,24 / †Cover

Production Team
CONDUCTOR - Julie Jordan Gunn
STAGE DIRECTOR - Kirsten Pullen
SCENIC DESIGNER - Gennie Neuman Lambert
COSTUME DESIGNER - Edith G. Moreno
LIGHTING DESIGNER - Alena Samoray
SOUND DESIGNER - Hayat Dominguez
FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHER AND INTIMACY CAPTAIN - Madison Freeland
INTIMACY CHOREOGRAPHER - Zev Steinrock
PROPERTIES MASTER - Adriane Binky Donley
HAIR/MAKEUP COORDINATOR - Melissa Hall
WIG MASTER - Lisa Lillig
HEAD COACH - Michael Tilley
MUSIC STAFF - Cadis Ying Jie Lee, Michael McAndrew, Alex Munger
STAGE MANAGER - Kayla Uribe
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR - Bobby Reynolds
OPERA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR - Patrick Stoney
SUPERTITLES - Ashton Goodley