Henry James’s gripping short story of ghostly possession becomes a haunting and suspenseful opera in Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw. A new governess has arrived at the Victorian country home of Bly to care for two young charges, yet the children aren’t exactly what they appear. Visions of the deceased former butler and governess seem to be influencing the children towards evil. The new governess soon finds herself in an unearthly struggle for the children’s souls. But are the ghosts real, or are they only in the governess’s mind? Britten’s evocative score builds to a tremendous climax, leaving the listener wondering if the spirits of the past are still ominously present.

With the Contemporary Directions Ensemble
Featuring an accompanying carillon performance by Eric Whitmer, Sarah Penrose, Destiny Alleman, Zhenqi Wang at each performance.

Pre-Performance Event! Sunday, March 30 at 1:00pm (before the 2pm performance)
Join conductor Kirk Severtson for a brief introduction to the music of Turn of the Screw before you watch the performance. Learn what to listen for and how to understand the specific themes and instrumentations that Britten uses to make the opera so haunting.

Composer: Benjamin Britten
Librettist: Myfanwy Piper
Conductor: Kirk Severtson
Stage Director: Chía Patiño