The Turn of the Screw

There’s enough high decibel singing and gothic horror to rattle anyone’s fillings in this two-hour chamber opera that packs a punch and gives the audience a fabulous surround-sound experience.

It is described on stage as a curious story, and indeed the original Henry James tale about a young Governess entering a new home with children that are possessed by spirits is just that.

There are eight scenes in each act, and director Craig Baldwin and set designer Emma Vine ingeniously move the drama through the various episodes by rotating a few platforms.

A scene where galloping horses lead a carriage was done with puppet horse heads, the inside and outside of the haunted house was visualised with lighting a model, and a scene by a lake was illustrated with a little fog.

There are lots of spooky lighting effects designed by Morgan Moroney – my favourite was the spirit peering from behind a single fogged window frame.

The two children are portrayed in large puppets manipulated elegantly by their singer handlers Addy Robertson (Miles) and Sandy Leung (Flora).

Whilst audience members are used to enjoying a clever boiled down production at The Hayes Theatre, the modern opera style of Benjamin Britten is something completely different to regular musical theatre fare, and indeed not overly familiar to opera fans used to humming along to Bizet and Puccini.

I was told by Stuart Maunder no less – the artistic director of the Victorian Opera - sitting next me to in the audience, that The Turn of the Screw is a modern classic and indeed has been staged by Opera Australia.

To me some of the music is a little hard on the ear at times, but that is Britten’s atonal style.  A stunning highlight was a scene where one of the children was playing the piano and there was a sumptuous juxtaposition of scales and dramatic themes.  

The grand piano was crowded, with the actual pianist Francis Greep, the puppeteer singer, the  puppet and the spirit conducting from behind.

The orchestration was reduced to two instruments with a keyboard filling out the sound effects.

A particular treat was the fact that no microphones were required, and the operatic voices impressively filled the famous cosy space that is the Hayes Theatre. 

The cast who sang in front of the audience and down the aisle were well up to the steep challenge of the requirements of the score.

Sophie Salvesani (The Governess) nailed the top notes, Margaret Trubiano  (Mrs Grose) likewise impressed, Catherine Bouchier (Miss Jessel)  was unmissable with long flowing white hair and Kanen Breen (Peter Quint) as the roving spirit was suitably scary and charismatic.

Strap yourself in for a high voltage ghost story with bite.

David Spicer

Photographer: Richard Farland.