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Benjamin Britten (1913-1976):
The Turn of the Screw
5099945637926
Opera in two acts
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper after the story by Henry James
| The Prologue/Peter Quint |
IAN BOSTRIDGE |
| The Governess |
JOAN RODGERS |
| Miles |
JULIAN LEANG |
| Flora |
CAROLINE WISE |
| Mrs Grose |
JANE HENSCHEL |
| Miss Jessel |
VIVIAN TIERNEY |
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Daniel Harding
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Synopsis
Henry James’s unnverving novella, with its suggestions of neurosis, perversity and the supernatural, was the source for this claustrophobic, compelling opera, first performed in 1954. Accompanied by a colourful chamber ensemble, the action moves with an almost filmic fluidity, while the score is a blend of 12-tone techniques, striking motifs, lyricism and – often sinister in effect – children’s songs.
A young governess is hired by the absent guardian of two children, Flora and Miles, who live in a country house called Bly. Her initial delight with the children and Bly is marred when she learns of Miles’s expulsion from his school, and then catches sight of a mysterious male figure. She discovers there was a predatory valet at Bly called Peter Quint who had an affair with a previous governess, Miss Jessel. Both were suspiciously close to the children and both are now dead. The Governess fears Quint’s influence and resolves to protect the children, but tensions increase when Miles goes into a trance in a Latin lesson and, as Flora plays by the lake, the Governess spots Miss Jessel. By the end of the opera, the Governess has engaged with Quint in a metaphysical tug-of-war over Miles – but the boy has been killed in the process.
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Compact Disc 1 52.25
1 Prologue (The Prologue) 3.28
ACT ONE
2 Theme (Orchestra) 1.04
3 Scene One. The Journey (Governess) 2.12
4 Variation I (Orchestra) 0.36
5 Scene Two. The Welcome (Miles/Flora/Mrs Grose/Governess) 3.42
6 Variation II (Orchestra) 0.38
7 Scene Three. The Letter (Mrs Grose/Governess/Miles/Flora) 2.58
8 Variation III (Orchestra) 1.45
9 Scene Four. The Tower (Governess) 3.41
10 Variation IV (Orchestra) 0.24
11 Scene Five. The Window (Miles/Flora/Governess/Mrs Grose) 9.07
12 Variation V (Orchestra) 1.00
13 Scene Six. The Lesson (Miles/Flora/Governess) 4.02
14 Variation VI (Orchestra) 1.20
15 Scene Seven. The Lake (Flora/Governess/Miles) 5.11
16 Variation VII (Orchestra) 1.25
17 Scene Eight. At Night (Quint/Miles/Miss Jessel/Flora/Mrs Grose/Governess) 9.45
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Compact Disc 2 54.23
ACT TWO
1 Variation VIII (Orchestra) 4.44
2 Scene One. Colloquy and Soliloquy (Miss Jessel/Quint/Governess) 4.21
3 Variation IX (Orchestra) 0.55
4 Scene Two. The Bells (Miles/Flora/Mrs Grose/Governess) 7.31
5 Variation X (Orchestra) 0.31
6 Scene Three. Miss Jessel (Governess/Miss Jessel) 6.00
7 Variation XI (Orchestra) 1.26
8 Scene Four. The Bedroom (Miles/Governess/Quint) 5.02
9 Variation XII (Quint) 1.23
10 Scene Five. Quint (Quint) 0.54
11 Variation XIII (Orchestra) 1.08
12 Scene Six. The Piano (Governess/Mrs Grose/Flora) 3.14
13 Variation XIV (Orchestra) 0.36
14 Scene Seven. Flora (Mrs Grose/Governess/Miss Jessel/Flora) 3.49
15 Variation XV (Orchestra) 1.34
16 Scene Eight. Miles (Governess/Mrs Grose/Miles/Quint) 11.10
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