Opera on 3

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Music: Classical: Opera

Programme presenting rare and fascinating operatic performances

Programme presenting rare and fascinating performances and vividly communicating the immediacy of the live experience

Opera on 3: Britten's The Rape of Lucretia

Britten's The Rape of Lucretia

BBC Radio 3 - Opera on 3, Britten's The Rape of Lucretia

Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, recorded at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Corinna Niemeyer conducts the Aurora Orchestra and a youthful cast in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, recorded at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Tom Service presents.

Rome, 500BC. While her husband is away Lucretia, the wife of Roman general Collatinus, is raped by the prince Tarquinius. The following day, the traumatised Lucretia commits suicide. Like its immediate predecessor, Peter Grimes, The Rape of Lucretia is a grim story exploring dark themes and, as in Grimes, Britten demonstrates his deep understanding of the most sinister corners of the human psyche. But despite all this, The Rape of Lucretia is a lyrical chamber opera with many beautiful moments. It's scored for small instrumental forces and an ensemble cast of soloists, with a title role written for legendary British contralto Kathleen Ferrier. She inspired Britten to write, in Lucretia’s final aria, one of the most passionate vocal numbers he ever composed.

In this new production by Oliver Mears, Lucretia is sung by Anne Marie Stanley, one of a cast of up-and-coming soloists drawn from two of the UK's most prestigious schemes for youthful musical talent: the Royal Opera House's Jette Parker Artists Programme and the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme. In the pit, Corinna Niemeyer conducts the ever-in-demand Aurora Orchestra. 

Recorded earlier this week at the Linbury Theatre at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and introduced by Tom Service in conversation with Kate Guthrie. 

Britten: The Rape of Lucretia
Act 1

7.25 pm
Interval

7.40 pm
Act 2

Lucretia ..... Anne Marie Stanley (mezzo-soprano)
Bianca ..... Carolyn Holt (mezzo-soprano)
Lucia ..... Sarah Dufresne (soprano)
Tarquinius ..... Jolyon Loy (baritone)
Collatinus ..... Thomas D Hopkinson (bass)
Junius ..... Kieran Rayner (baritone)
Female Chorus ..... Sydney Baedke (soprano)
Male Chorus ..... Michael Gibson (tenor)
Aurora Orchestra
Corinna Niemeyer (conductor)

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