The Rape of Lucretia A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

The Roman legend of the brutal rape of Lucretia (while her husband was absent), who, despite her innocence, was unable to bear the shame of the attack and committed suicide on the return of her partner, was well known even in early Christian times. Of the many artistic interpretations of the tale, Shakespeare’s narrative poem and Händel’s chamber cantata are outstanding. So is the chamber opera by Benjamin Britten first performed in 1946. In the Britten Year series last year, the Opera House presented the work directed by János Csányi, and this is the production performed in the Solti Hall. Although Britten could have decided to concentrate on the brutal side of this bloody drama, the sensitivity and musical dramatic genius characteristic of the maestro meant that he preferred to place the emphasis on a delicate psychological depiction of the protagonists. Originally, Kathleen Ferrier sang the title role of the piece using just 12 instrumentalists; this time the role of Lucretia is shaped by Artisjus Prize recipient Krisztina Simon, graduate of the Liszt Academy and now soloist at the Hungarian State Opera.