Review of Britten: The Turn Of The Screw (Hickox)

Introduction

Including The Turn Of The Screw, I have now seen a grand total of two operas. I wouldn`t normally choose to spend my time with this particular art form, but the reviewing process being what it is, sometimes reviewers are on the receiving end of a lucky dip. On a rare occasion, it can provide the start of another addiction, but not always. Once again I feel obligated to begin with the disclaimer that I am hardly qualified to review this disc in terms of its artistic merit.

In 2004, the BBC filmed The Turn Of The Screw, an opera adapted by Benjamin Britten in 1954 from the 1898 Henry James novella. Opus Arte now bring this to DVD.

A governess takes a job in the country to see to the education of two children, Miles and Flora at the behest of their uncle. All is not well in the household though, as she learns when Miles is expelled from school. The housekeeper Mrs Grose eventually relates the tale of the previous governess, Miss Jessel and the valet Quint who had a tempestuous history that resulted in both their deaths. Now their ghosts have undue influence over the children, based on their past history. The governess must protect her innocent charges from the dark influences that surround the isolated house.

This BBC production eschews the stage for the authentic period locations, setting the opera in the bleak countryside and the Victorian architecture of Fulbeck Hall in Lincolnshire.

Video

The Turn Of The Screw is presented on a Region free disc in a 1.78:1 anamorphic NTSC transfer. The picture is a little soft, the occasional misty scenes are prone to artefacts, and darker scenes can be a little grainy and indistinct.

Unlike a theatrical production, this is intended to be an almost cinematic experience. The location filming and direction give an immediacy and atmosphere that give this DVD an accessible feel. You get close ups of characters, pans and zooms that would be impossible in the theatre, and the performance is sharply edited. The production is a mix of live and (I assume) pre-recorded performances. When a character gives voice to his or her thoughts, it isn`t necessary in a presentation of this nature for us to see them sing.

Audio

You have a choice of DD 5.1 or LPCM stereo. The surround track is fairly front focussed, with the surrounds used for ambience and a little immersion. Curiously, I found the LPCM stereo to be the preferable experience, sounding richer and more dynamic than the surround track. Subtitles are provided in German, English, French, Italian and Spanish.

Features

The disc contains a synopsis, spoken over a six-minute slideshow of images from the film. There is also a cast gallery. Slipped inside the Amaray case you`ll find a 24-page booklet, which again contains a synopsis of the opera, as well as a discussion of its intent.

Conclusion

Well, my personal opinion for what its worth, is that as a professional production, The Turn Of The Screw is exemplary in establishing the atmosphere of the story and the characters. However, I felt hampered once again by lack of familiarity with the medium, and found it difficult to find a hook that would allow me to appreciate the production. I think some small part of it may be my dislike of ghost stories in general, but as I said in this case, my opinion should be taken with a pinch of salt.

The DVD is a bit of a mixed bag. The NTSC transfer isn`t the best in the world, soft and a little low of resolution for my taste, but on a disc like this where sound quality is paramount, I can understand the reason for avoiding a 4% PAL speed up affecting the pitch of the sound. You have a choice of Dolby Surround or LPCM stereo, both of them quite good. I`m not sure how often operas are adapted for the screen in this way, but The Turn Of The Screw comes alive in the locations used. In that alone it is successful.

There`s no technical reason why this disc shouldn`t be considered. You`ll have to decide for yourself if you like the opera.