Tom Rakewell, a young and penniless Englishman, is in love with Anne Trulove. A stranger, who announces himself as Nick Shadow, suddenly arrives with the news that an unknown uncle of Tom's has died and left him a fortune. Tom must go at once to London to take over his uncle's estate. Shadow, hired as Tom's servant, soon debauches the young man and leads him into London's brothels. Having no news from her lover, Anne leaves her father's house for London, determined to find him. She soon discovers that he got married with the eccentric Baba the Turk. Under the harmful influence of Nick Shadow, Tom's financial bubble has burst, bringing ruin to himself and to countless innocent investors in his scheme. A year and a day have passed since Shadow entered Tom's service. He now claims his wages: Tom's soul.
Drawing their inspiration from Faust and a series of eight engravings by William Hogarth, Stravinsky and Wystan Hugh Auden offer us a neo classical masterwork reminding of Mozart's operas. But the Rake's progress is first and foremost and moral fable revealing the frailty of our will in front of worldly and shallow temptations. Without any condemnation however, the authors depict the subtle portrait of a young man more weak and naive than truly guilty.
Set in the United States of the 50's, Robert Lepage's production casts Andrew Kennedy and Laura Claycomb, bringing brilliantly to life Tom Rakewell's vulnerability and the steadfastness of Anne Trulove.
