Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reviewer: Daniel Shipman
The music in Britten’s Turn of the Screw suits the haunting, ambiguous atmosphere of Henry James’ original text perfectly. Whilst opera may not seem the ideal medium for a story that relies so much on interpretation, the small cast and tight focus on plot in Myfanwy Piper’s libretto make this an interesting subversion of a usually epic form.
Briefly, Turn of the Screw follows a governess who takes charge of two young children whose guardian wants no contact with them. Whilst initially happy, the governess soon discovers dark secrets from the past which still haunt the house in the form of ghosts. If this sounds deliberately obtuse, it is intentional on James’ part. The lack of certainty contributes to the uncanny atmosphere.
The lack of male voices before the introduction of Peter Quint’s character gets rather harsh and grating after a while, but this is more of a problem in the first act than the second. The voices of Flora (Jennifer Clark) and Miles (Tim Gasiorek) as the two children act as a gentle, melodic counterbalance to this. Gasiorek, in particular, is stunning as Miles, with his sensitive portrayal of surely the most nuanced pre-teen character in any medium.
Set and lighting work together in building the feeling of vague unease which is so essential for this piece to work. The visual manipulation of linear planes in the set is the work of a true expert, and the correction of this at the plot’s denouement is a masterly representation of what is going on beneath the surface of these events.
The subtlety and vagueness of this piece won’t suit all tastes, but the pairing of James’ story and Britten’s score is an inspired one.
-Daniel Shipman
Opera North: The Turn of the Screw plays next at the Theatre Royal Nottingham on 19 March 2020.