Lighting Design for Lucretia

Lighting The Rape of Lucretia

Wesley McKenzie

Having come from a background in theatre production, lighting for opera is a special treat for me. When I think of opera, I think of big elaborate and ornate spectacle and performance, whereas theatre makes me think of intimate and empathetic stories. The Rape of Lucretia allows us to explore both.

This story can be looked at as a private piece, as the heinous acts of the second act take place in Lucretia’s own bedroom. In our version, we see a very public side of the story as well, with allusions to a political campaign. The challenge ahead of me is to make the Aki Studio feel both public and intimate at the same time.

One of the easiest ways to understanding lighting for live performance, is to think of it as energy. Light helps guide us through a piece, letting us know what we should look at and what we shouldn’t. Through colour, it gives both a sense of place and a sense of emotional well being.

Lighting can also give us status. A speaker giving a presentation is important because they are the one with the spotlight on them. As we follow the Male and Female Chorus around, we will see them stand out among the crowd. Lighting the chorus from behind pushes them towards the audience. The energy of the light drives them into the audience, making them feel both powerful and united with the audience.

As we begin act two, we enter the much more private world of Lucretia’s bedroom. Light comes from either side of the stage, rather than above. This sections the world of the bedroom off from the audience, making it both a private and smaller space. Having light come from either side also creates conflict. Energy is pushed onto the characters of Lucretia and Tarquinius from both sides, forcing them into a limbo state in the middle of the stage.

As we push through the scene, we start to see more and less of the characters. The light becomes textured, and light and shadow makes the actions in the bedroom more difficult to see. Different parts of the performers bodies are lit in different ways, increasing the conflict already created with the light from the sides.

The most important piece of information given to the audience in opera is the music. In the case of the performers, this is the face. It is often taken for granted that we will see the performer’s face, as it helps the audience understand the story. Through the textured light we begin to lose that established connection with the audience, and Lucretia and Tarquinius start to drown in what little light is left onstage.

The Aki Studio is the perfect location to put on this production. It’s intimate size and large production capabilities allow us to achieve a feel of both public and private spheres.

~Wesley