We use our computers for many different reasons. Some of these include doing schoolwork, playing games, and surfing the internet. The internet is acknowledged by most people to be a place of learning new and useful skills, discovering vast knowledge, meeting new friends and chatting with old ones, and more. But contrary to this belief, the internet can also be a dangerous place filled with viruses, hackers, cons and thieves among others. The internet may make us human beings do some crazy things, but can it drive someone to take the life of another? This idea is explored in the opera titled “Two Boys”.

“Two Boys” was originated by 32-year-old composer Nico Muhly and had its showings at the Met in October and November of 2013. The show is broken up into two acts and first had its debut at the English National Opera in 2011. Controversial, real-life events which had taken place in the city of Manchester, England comprise the story that the opera is essentially based on. These events surround an attempted murder committed by a high school student via a knife to the chest. The victim of the stabbing turned out to be a younger boy whom the student was allegedly hired to kill by a mysterious member of an online chatroom he was a part of.

Mr. Muhly happens to be the youngest composer ever to be commissioned by the Met, and, judging from the success of the American premiere of his work, one can easily see why he has been given the honor. It is no secret to anyone who has seen this opera that “Two Boys” is a dark, grim, yet both visually as well as acoustically memorable experience. The dim stage constantly filled itself with awe-inspired lighting, mistifying props, and a talented, well-rehearsed cast of singers, actors, and dancers. The libretto written by critically-acclaimed playwright Craig Lucas and the interesting orchestral score conducted by David Robertson equally deserve an honorable mention.

Now getting to the drama that is the opera itself, as I have said earlier in this review, this show consists of two one-hour long acts divided by an intermission. The first half opens with the inevitable revelation of an attempted murder committed on a young boy named Jake by a teenager, Brian, who is portrayed by the tenor Paul Appleby. The investigation is undertaken by Detective Anne Strawson, played by Alice Coote, who proceeds to interrogate Brian. The young Brian promptly explains himself, detailing his daily routines and the events that had taken place leading up to the horrific incident, and is constantly defended by his parents. And that is where the story lies. It is noted that among the sing-song lyricism and conversations and background dancing going on during the acts, the set is also filled with large screen-like projections which detail and show the many talks taking place in the so-called chatrooms between characters.

It is evident that Detective Strawson is determined to solve this case. It is shown that she lives with her elderly, disabled mother and it is also revealed that Anne Strawson is a middle-aged divorcee. As the story goes on, the plot transitions and faces many twists and turns as the Detective searches for answers on the computers of both the victim Jake and the perpetrator Brian, as well as the security footage recovered from the scene of the crime. Detective Strawson eventually learns that Brian had been socializing with a wealthy schoolgirl named Rebecca, who is revealed to be the older sister of Jake, a young computer expert. Strawson also learns that Rebecca was supposedly raped by her family’s gardener, Peter. This marks the end of the first act.

Act II continues the investigation of the crime by Detective Strawson. New findings include the revelation that Brian has been the victim of cyberbullying and blackmail by strangers on the internet and has been going through a lot in the events leading up to the present. The young Brian is soon seemingly recruited by a mysterious person on the chatroom to murder Jake in an alley near the shops. Brian ultimately agrees to the proposition and sets up the meeting with Jake.

Before I go on any further, I just want to give a spoiler alert to anyone who has not already seen the show and does not want me to ruin the ending for them.

In the end, the story concludes with the audience finding out that little Jake has been manipulating Brian this entire time by creating the identities of the people that Brian has been associating with over his computer. It turns out that Jake is suicidal because of his closeted homosexuality and has lured his newfound friend to kill him and fulfill his death wish using the identities of figures such as Peter the gardener, his ‘Aunt Fiona’, and most importantly the mysterious person who has hired Brian.

Overall, I can easily say that the opera is a totally new experience for me, having gone for the very first time last Wednesday, but I must say what a memorable first time it was. Everything from the acting to the choreographer I could tell was well-rehearsed and the story had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. The next time you use the internet for anything, just try to remember this opera and the message it conveys- I know I will.

I give “Two Boys” Two Thumbs Up!