"Turn Of The Screw"
From Boston Conservatory Opera

The Boston Conservatory Opera Division, under the direction of Sally Stunkel, will present Benjamin Britten's "The Turn of the Screw,"  February 7 - 10, at The Boston Conservatory Theater, 31 Hemenway Street in Boston.  Kirsten Z. Cairns directs. 
 
Regarded by some as Britten's finest chamber opera, "The Turn of the Screw" was also his last.  It is a classic ghost story about a governess with two mysteriously possessed orphan charges. Based on the classic story by Henry James, Britten's music magnifies the fears of the original story.  (Audra Faust, at left, plays the governess.)

Victorians loved to sit around the fire and be thoroughly frightened by a skilled storyteller. Later interpreters of the tale saw in it Freudian terms, and the story indeed raises many psychological questions and issues. What is innocence?  Who decides the distinction between corruption and liberation?  When does the protector become the repressor?
 
According to Cairns, "We will provide food for thought on many such questions, and members of the audience may find themselves pondering possible answers for days to come.  Our chief goal, however, is to recapture that thrill of a truly creepy tale!  Come prepared to be scared - bring a friend, as you may not want to go home alone!'"

Known for its intimate and supportive multi-disciplinary environment, The Boston Conservatory offers fully accredited graduate and undergraduate programs in music, dance, theater and music education, and presents more than 200 performances each year by students, faculty and guest artists.

For tickets and information, call 617-912-9222.

-- OnStage Boston