Benjamin Britten: The Rape of Lucretia

02.02.2026

Opera production

"Go back, Tarquinius!" – comes the warning from the opera's narrator to the son of the Etruscan king. But the tragedy is already unfolding at pace: Tarquinius falls upon Lucretia, the wife of his comrade Collatinus, and rapes her, in spite of her fierce reistance. The next day, Lucretia takes her own life in public. Benjamin Britten's dark chamber opera, premiered in 1946 at Glyndebourne, resounds with the traumatic experiences of fascism and war.

Musical direction:
Gernot Sahler

Stage direction:
Alexander von Pfeil

Staging / Costumes:
Lena Matterne / Theresa Staindl

Dramaturgy:
Jurij Kowol

Overview

zum Programm

Press reviews (in German)

OpernNews vom 28.1.2026 (Roland H. Dippel
Humanes Pamphlet und emotionale Reportage

Drehpunkt Kultur vom 27.1.2026 (Heidemarie Klabacher)
Unfassbare Gewalt - zeitlos

Salzburger Nachrichten vom 27.1.2026 (Florian Oberhummer)
"The Rape of Lucretia" an der Universität Mozarteum: Wie sich das Bild des Unholds wandelt

Production & Cast

Musical direction: Gernot Sahler
Stage direction: Alexander von Pfeil
Stage design: Lena Matterne
Costumes: Theresa Staindl
Dramaturgy: Jurij Kowol
Mozarteum University Chamber Orchestra

A cooperation between the Vocal Studies Department and the Department of Scenography

Male Chorus

Female Chorus

Collatinus

Junius

Prince Tarquinius

Lucretia

Bianca

Lucia

26. & 29.1.

Ilyà Dovnar

Sofia Levina

Xuanbo Li

Joseph Breslau

Samuel Pörnbacher

Lurda Bukau

Erika Henriques

Sujin Kim

27. & 31.1.

Achim Schurig

Dorka Denke

Danny Leite

Joseph Breslau

Samuel Pörnbacher

Johanna Zeitlhöfler

Varvara Nikishina

Emma Kindinger

Mo. 26.1.2026 19:00–20:45 Uhr

Di. 27.1.2026 19:00–20:45 Uhr

Do. 29.1.2026 19:00–20:45 Uhr

Sa. 31.1.2026 17:00–18:45 Uhr
Max Schlereth Saal

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