The Turn of the Screw

Music by Benjamin Britten

A THIN VEIL

Based on Henry James’ haunting novella, this enigmatic story examines one of Britten’s favorite themes: loss of innocence. Britten’s third chamber opera is written with a concise musical structure matching James’ precise writing style, even as the piece sparks a network of ambiguous connections and queries but refuses to tie up all loose ends.

The 16 scenes unfold around a young governess who accepts a post caring for two children at a remote country house. But, like a poorly tuned radio, something is off.

The children and housekeeper are cloaked in secrecy, as is the history of the house and its prior tenants. As tension increases, so does the governess’s belief that spirits influence the children, and she must save them. But what is reality?