HGO (formerly Hampstead Garden Opera) are an operatic charity that promotes and develops young talent. This spring, they have brought Benjamin Britten’s dark and sombre chamber opera, The Rape of Lucretia, to the close confines of the Jacksons Lane theatre. Originally written in 1946 for 8 singers and 13 players, this is a work that was designed to be performed in an intimate setting. This production ticks all those boxes.
It is no spoiler to say that it is a difficult storyline that focuses on the worst aspects of human behaviour (HGO are supporting domestic abuse charity Solace Women’s Aid through the production). It is clear that there is not going to be a happy conclusion, and it is difficult to ‘enjoy’ the work. Nevertheless, there is much to admire in the music and the performances by HGO’s cast of talented young singers and musicians.
Britten and librettist Ronald Duncan do not shy away from the exploration of sexual violence and male power. The language is earthy, and the music is by turns haunting and shocking. The performance is framed by both a male and female chorus who set the scene for the opera. It is circa 500 BC, and the immoral Etruscan royal family is ruling Rome. They are about to take the country to war with Greece, and we are told, ‘It is an axiom among kings to use a foreign threat to hide a local evil.’ Given what is happening in the world right now, it is hard not to see contemporary resonance in that line.
Tenor, Daniel Gray Bell as Male Chorus, opens the opera with gusto and his female counterpart, Soprano, Olivia Rose Tringham, also puts in an impressive performance. More than simply narrators, the choruses offer insight and pass judgement on the characters. HGO have them weave in and out of the action and climb up and down the dark, minimalist, multi-layered set. The staging holds little colour, and even the characters’ blood is represented by inky black water.
Bell and Tringham are part of a highly capable troupe, led by Emma Roberts as Lucretia and Stephen Whitford as Prince Tarquinius. The rich vocals from mezzo soprano Roberts filled the auditorium with the most amazing sound, culminating in her chilling display of grief and despair in Act II. Whitford’s baritone voice matched the intensity of his performance. His personification of evil at the end of Act I as the menacing presence arriving at the home of Lucretia was astounding and unnerving. He doubles down on this in Act II as he attacks the sleeping woman in her bed.
Much of this opera is split between scenes, which are made up of all the male characters or all the female ones. But when they came together, the ensemble pieces were electrifying, showcasing the voices, harmonies, and power of the talented cast. Despite the dark tone, there was joy to be had here as the sound resonated around the auditorium, accompanied by a superb performance from the 12-piece orchestra conducted by Musical Director, Oliver Cope. All the musicians were talented, but a special shout-out must go to the harpist, Aisha Palmer, whose haunting strings dominated the first act.
This is a difficult opera to watch and to listen to. Directors Eleanor Burke and Alex Gotch have set out to present a ‘living, breathing examination of human behaviour under pressure,’ and I think they have largely succeeded – the cast has no weak links, the music is powerful, and you will get goose bumps. But let us be honest, understanding operatic diction is difficult, even when sung in English, and we lost a lot of the subtlety and poetry of the libretto through the lack of surtitles. It is a mistake that lets the production down and undermines the talent on display.
It costs over £80,000 to stage an HGO opera, but the work is of high quality and the opportunities they give to young opera talent are invaluable. I hope they continue to attract the support they deserve.
The Rape of Lucretia will not leave you feeling good. The asymmetrical music may be a challenge to an untrained ear, and you will not leave humming along to an earworm. But the power of the piece, and the melancholy and despair (and even anger) that it produces, will stay with you for some time.
Review by Fiona Gilbert
HGO presents Benjamin Britten’s gripping and emotional The Rape of Lucretia, an unflinching examination of the darkest recesses of human nature. Composed in the shadow of the Second World War, it confronts sexual violence and the abuse of power, tracing tragic consequences that ripple through lives and communities. Scored for eight voices and chamber ensemble, its haunting beauty is intensely intimate.
CAST (covers in brackets)
Female Chorus – Olivia Rose Tringham (Jessia Lawley)
Male Chorus – Daniel Gray Bell (Samuel Horton)
Lucretia – Emma Roberts (Abbie Ward)
Tarquinius – Stephen Whitford (Oliver Heuzenroeder)
Collatinus – Oleksii Zasiadko (Chris Murphy)
Junius – Maximilian Catalano (Ted Day)
Bianca – Mia Serracino (Lucy Thalange)
Lucia – Nikki Martin (Ellen Mawhinney)
Opera by Benjamin Britten to libretto by Ronald Duncan
Stage Directors – Eleanor Burke and Alex Gotch
Music Director – Oliver Cope
Set / Costume Designer – Jennifer Gregory
Lighting Designer – Cheng Keng
Assistant Stage Director – Katie Blackwell
Stage Manager – Alexandra Brown
Assistant Stage Manager – Charlie Tiernan
Production Manager – Ida Pontopiddan
Assistant Conductor – Kentaro Machida
Reptiteur – Lucy Colquhoun
THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA
Jacksons Lane
18 to 26 April 2026
