New York City Opera gambles on young talent.
by Paul J. Pelkonen
The Turn of the Screw is Benjamin Britten's creepiest operas. The British composer (who celebrates his centennial later this year) transformed Henry James' Gothic ghost story into a tale of innocence corrupted and evil triumphant. The clock-like score is one of Britten's tightest creations, a concise re-telling of the story with key changes that serve to increase dramatic tension, placing stress on the listener.
Britten's opera (the libretto is by Myfanwy Piper) is not a straightforward adaptation of Henry James' ambiguous ghost story. In Ms. Piper's version, the ghosts Peter Quint and Miss Jessel are actual supernatural forces, preying on two innocent children at the Essex country estate of Bly. (James' novella leaves the reader unsure if the Governess is seeing things or slowly going insane.)
by Paul J. Pelkonen
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| What about the boy? Benjamin P. Wenzelberg (center) finds himself in a supernatural custody battle in this new City Opera production of The Turn of the Screw. Photo by Carol Rosegg © 2013 New York City Opera. |
Britten's opera (the libretto is by Myfanwy Piper) is not a straightforward adaptation of Henry James' ambiguous ghost story. In Ms. Piper's version, the ghosts Peter Quint and Miss Jessel are actual supernatural forces, preying on two innocent children at the Essex country estate of Bly. (James' novella leaves the reader unsure if the Governess is seeing things or slowly going insane.)
