Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Toronto, ON - The story of the sexual assault of a Roman housewife has been reimagined by MYOpera’s all-female artistic team for its new production of The Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin Britten. For those audiences who are interested in women’s stories as imagined by female creators, The Rape of Lucretia is a fresh departure from male-dominated world of opera. Throughout the creative process Artistic Director Kate Applin, Stage Director Anna Theodosakis and Music Director Natasha Fransblow have consulted sex educator and advocate Sophie Delancey to ensure a mindful contextualization of the sexual violence depicted in the opera.
The chamber opera, which follows Lucretia's trauma and and its aftermath, explores themes of manipulation and abuse in the quest for political power and personal gain. This dark and chilling story celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2016.
MYOpera’s new production, conceived by Stage Director Anna Theodosakis, is set in 1946 during the tumult of post-war Italy. “There was a startling connection between the political landscape of Lucretia’s time and Italy in 1946. This period of history is modernized: not so recent that it’s contemporary, but it still lives in our collective memory. It’s also the year that the opera was written which gives us an additional layer of lived context from the perspective of the composer ” says Theodosakis.
An ideal introduction to opera, The Rape of Lucretia will be performed in English in the 120-seat Aki Studio at Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park. This intimate venue provides a unique space to understand the important, contemporary themes explored in the opera.
ABOUT THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA
Britten’s first chamber opera, The Rape of Lucretia is a dark and tragic story based on the life of a Roman housewife. MYOpera’s production will transplant this story from Ancient Rome to mid-20th century Rome in 1946, as the country prepares for its first election after the terrors of World War II. Regardless of the historical setting, this sombre story resonates clearly in today’s conversations about consent and gendered violence. MYOpera’s new Stage Director, Anna Theodosakis, will bring this work to life along with Music Director Natasha Fransblow from April 29 - May 1, 2016. For the third year in a row, MYOpera will present in the Aki Studio at Daniels Spectrum, strengthening existing ties with the Regent Park community.
The Rape of Lucretia will run for three shows only: Friday April 29 at 7:30 pm, Saturday April 30 at 7:30 pm and Sunday May 1 at 2:30 pm.
ABOUT MYOPERA
MYOpera (formerly Metro Youth Opera) was founded in 2010 by Kate Applin as an opera company in which talented emerging artists could advance their professional careers by performing complete roles and being compensated for it. MYOpera is designed to create viable development opportunities for young artists in all fields related to the world of opera: singers, stage directors, music directors, and more. Since its launch, MYOpera has mounted productions of Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Donizetti's The Elixir of Love, a Triple Bill of Stravinsky's Mavra, Pergolesi's La Serva Padrona, and Vallerand's Le Magicien, Humperdinck's Hänsel & Gretel and Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict.
Visit myopera.ca for more information.
The Rape of Lucretia
by Benjamin Britten
Friday April 29 at 7:30 pm
Saturday April 30 at 7:30 pm
Sunday May 1 at 2:30 pm
Presented at Aki Studio
Daniels Spectrum
585 Dundas Street East
PRODUCTION TEAM
Artistic Director – Kate Applin
Stage Director – Anna Theodosakis
Music Director – Natasha Fransblow
Lighting Designer - Wesley McKenzie
Stage Manager – Katherine Belyea
CAST
Male Chorus - Daevyd Pepper
Female Chorus - Jonelle Sills
Collatinus - Jacob Feldman
Junius - Evan Korbut
Tarquinius - Nicholas Borg
Lucretia - Christina Campsall
Bianca - Victoria Marshall
Lucia - Anne-Marie MacIntosh
Photo: Christina Campsall as Lucretia. ©2016 Daniel Denino.
2016-04-05
Toronto: MYOpera presents Benjamin Britten's "The Rape of Lucretia" April 29-May 1