Interpretation and performance: The Turn of the Screw by Benjamin Britten and Myfanwy Piper

Abstract

This article revisits the important fields of dispute about The Turn of the Screw ‐ whether the ambiguity about the reality of the ghosts, which is present in Henry James’s novella, carries over into the opera; what the Governess’s state of mind is; what kind of possession of the children is sought by the ghosts; and how the closing moments are to be interpreted. The focus is not just on what the libretto and score can tell us when studied by themselves; examples of decisions by directors and singing actors are drawn from two productions available on DVD, and one available on YouTube, ranging from a 1983 production recorded at a 1990 revival via a 1992 staging to a new production in 2019. There is also reference to some pre-1985 productions cited by Patricia Howard. The discussion widens in the Conclusion to draw out the implications of the analysis for the production of other operas. An Appendix provides a comparative synopsis of the opera and the novella.