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Britten's The Turn of the Screw

Iv谩n Fischer conducts the Budapest Festival Orchestra in The Turn of the Screw, Britten's creepy opera where transgression and evil prevail at a large, isolated country house.

Britten's creepy yet compelling opera, based on Henry James's sinister novella, explores the themes which preoccupied Britten: childhood, loss of innocence, night, transgression and evil.

A governess arrives at a large country house whose only occupants are the housekeeper Mrs Grose and two orphans, Miles and Flora. Charged by their absent guardian with looking after the children, the Governess becomes aware of two mysterious figures, identified by the housekeeper as the valet, Peter Quint, and the former governess Miss Jessel. Both of them, the housekeeper tells the Governess, are dead. But at night their malign, ghostly manifestations call to the children and the Governess attempts to protect them. Flora is taken to safety by Mrs Grose but as Quint speaks to Miles, he dies in the arms of the Governess.

Perhaps the opera's most famous line, quoted from WB Yeats鈥檚 The Second Coming, sums up Britten's disquieting and ambiguous masterpiece: 鈥渢he ceremony of innocence is drowned鈥�.

Recorded last September at the B茅la Bart贸k National Concert Hall, Budapest and introduced by Kate Molleson.

Benjamin Britten: The Turn of the Screw

Act 1

7.25 pm
Interval
Kate Molleson explores the themes of Britten's The Turn of the Screw with Iv谩n Fischer, and talks to best-selling author Neil Gaiman about our enduring fascination with ghost stories.

7.45 pm
Act 2

Governess 鈥�.. Miah Persson (soprano)
Mrs Grose 鈥�.. Laura Aikin (soprano)
Prologue/Peter Quint 鈥�.. Andrew Staples (tenor)
Miss Jessel 鈥�.. Allison Cook (soprano)
Miles 鈥�. Benjamin Fletcher (treble)
Flora 鈥�.. Lucy Barlow (soprano)

Budapest Festival Orchestra
Iv谩n Fischer (conductor)

Read more about the production - https://bit.ly/3XjR7SK

2 hours, 29 minutes

Last on

Sat 18 Feb 2023 18:30
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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Music Played

  • Benjamin Britten

    The Turn Of The Screw, Op.54 - Act 1

    Singer: Miah Persson. Singer: Laura Aikin. Singer: Andrew Staples. Singer: Allison Cook. Singer: Fletcher. Singer: Lucy Barlow. Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iv谩n Fischer.

  • Benjamin Britten

    The Turn Of The Screw, Op.54 - Act 2

    Singer: Miah Persson. Singer: Laura Aikin. Singer: Andrew Staples. Singer: Allison Cook. Singer: Fletcher. Singer: Lucy Barlow. Orchestra: Budapest Festival Orchestra. Conductor: Iv谩n Fischer.

  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

    Serenata notturna

    Orchestra: Camerata Nordica. Conductor: Terje T酶nnesen.
    • Mozart: Serenata notturna, 3 Divertimenti & Eine kleine Nachtmusik.
    • BIS.
    • 1-3.

  • Franz Schubert

    Nachtgesang im Walde, D. 913

    Choir: RIAS Chamber Choir. Ensemble: Scharoun Ensemble. Conductor: Marcus Creed.
    • Schubert: Nachtgesang.
    • harmonia mundi.
    • 10.

Broadcast

  • Sat 18 Feb 2023 18:30
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3