Royal Academy Opera will present Britten’s “The Rape of Lucretia” at the Susie Sainsbury Theatre in London this May.

Bicentenary Scholar Ella Orehek-Coddington takes the title role, joined by Pavel Basov as Collatinus, Harrison Robb as Junius, and Oliver Heuzenroeder as Tarquinius. Yihui Wang and Madeleine Perring perform the Male and Female Chorus roles respectively, with Viktoriia Melkonian as Bianca and Ellie Donald as Lucia completing the cast.

Paul Carr directs and Lada Valešová, a 2024-25 Royal Philharmonic Society Excel Programme participant, conducts. Michelle Bradbury serves as costume designer and Jake Wiltshire as lighting designer.

“Although the opera’s plot is set in Ancient Rome during times of warring men, the opera’s themes of male dominance and sexual violence are, sadly, as vivid today as at any time in history, and maybe even more so right now. However, it’s my wish that through Britten’s dark and beautiful score we see beauty and glimmers of hope for a more even, honest and less brutal world,” Carr said, per an official press release.

Performances are set for May 13-15, 2026.

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