Greek

About

Boston Lyric Opera’s Opera Annex production sets Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Greek—his adaptation of Steven Berkoff’s Oedipus-inspired drama—in London’s East End during the 1980s, inflected with punk and jazz energy. The staging emphasizes immediacy and a gritty vernacular, channeling the raw intensity of Berkoff’s play into operatic form. Directed by Sam Helfrich with designs by John Conklin (sets and dramaturgy) and Nancy Leary (costumes), and lighting by Chris Hudacs, the production evokes period-specific style and urban textures. Wig and makeup by Jason Allen and fight direction by Andrew Kenneth Moss support the show’s physical, confrontational staging. A chamber ensemble drawn from the BLO Orchestra underscores the opera’s punchy, intimate sound world, aligning with the work’s chamber roots and Opera Annex’s exploratory mission.