The Rape of Lucretia is not just about rape; a more profound meaning lies under the challenging music and minimalist set of this upcoming NAU opera.

Written by Benjamin Britten in 1946, a year after WWII, this two-act chamber opera is based on an actual occurrence from 600 BC in Rome after Etruscan captured the city. During this time, sleeping around was normal, but not for Lucretia, who was the only noble, loyal wife of a Roman general. In short, she was raped by the Etruscan prince, and she committed suicide thereafter.

Nando Schellen, the director of the opera, said he believes Britten wrote this opera to reveal how we have not progressed as human beings.

“He wanted to show us how we’ve learned nothing,” Schellen said. “When we talk about 600 BC, human nature has not changed. We are the same stupid people we were 3,000 years ago. We didn’t learn about sexual behavior; we didn’t learn about war and peace. We have been fighting wars all the time, and we still do it, every day. We learned nothing.”

While the director confronted how to portray a socially sensitive subject with tact, the cast faced challenges with the difficult music for the vocals.

Sandra Flores, the assistant director and stage manager, said this is one of Britten’s most difficult operas, but the cast was up for the challenge.

“I think the music is the biggest force to be reckoned with because it’s contemporary,” Flores said. “It’s not the easiest music to learn; the rhythms are complex. In this piece, the accompaniment gives you nothing. It’ll give you one note, but it is two measures past that, and now you have to think of it. It’s musically complicated.”

Schellen said the actors, who are divided into two groups of eight for the performances, have progressed in their singing skills. Through long rehearsals, the hard work will be evident during the opera.

“There have been some very rough times because this is difficult music,” Schellen said. “It’s difficult to sing together. It’s not new music because it was written 70 years ago. You will realize what they can do and how their skills have progressed.”

As for the opera’s orchestra, it features only three people playing different instruments (piano, percussion and harp) in comparison to the 13-member orchestra the original opera includes.

Sid Adams, a senior music education major, plays the percussion part and said that while the percussion adds to the opera, it is not too difficult.

“My part isn’t very complicated at all,” Adams said. “It’s definitely a lighter percussion part. Because it’s a little bit like a Roman military story, the percussion adds to that. Usually, percussion in general is there for impact or different effects to make the music seem more real.”

Performances of The Rape of Lucretia take place on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. at Ashurst Auditorium. For tickets and further information, visit nau.ticketforce.com.