Turn of the Screw: a horror-opera.

 Benjamin Britten’s Turn of the Screw has been described as a horror opera and a psychological thriller. But is it his best work? That was the discussion amongst the artists of the Atelier lyrique the other day at rehearsal in Place des Arts.

Spencer Britten, who plays Peter Quint in this production at Espace Nomad Nation (Feb 7/8/9) and yes a distant relative of the great man, was wondering if he preferred this or A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But Holly Kroeker, Atelier pianist and resident artist was in favour of Peter Grimes or perhaps The Rape of Lucretia. Anyway they confessed a love for a great many of Britten’s operas as the snow fell outside Salle Un at Place des Arts and they got on with their rehearsal.

Director Maxime Genois

Turn of the Screw is directed by Maxime Genois who garnered attention with his Nero and the Fall of Lehman Brothers (Jonathan Dawe) in Montreal this summer. Musical director Nicolas Ellis invited him to direct the show. Maxime told me he had loved the book written by Henry James in 1898 but when he got to know Britten’s opera he was impressed. “I feel Britten understood the book and he made it better. He embraced the horror story but music gives it a fragility and a tragic element.”

Elizabeth Polese as Miss Jessel

“For instance Peter Quint (tenor Spencer Britten) makes a beautiful sound as a tenor but he is a monster in the story.”

“The audience is both disgusted by him but at the same time there is something we like about him.”

This show recreates the haunted house in the story at Espace Nomad Nation in what Maxime describes as an immersive production. For instance a servant in the story will be preparing food in the kitchen area while the show goes on, there are sofas all around and the audience will be seated on an area usually used as the stage. 

“I love to have lots of action going on,” says Maxime.”I wanted to create a real house. The governess in the story is trapped in a labyrinth and we gradually see her being possessed by the house.”

It seems there will be an update to the mid-19th century English country house in the original setting as Maxime says he was inspired by horror movies Rosemary’s Baby and Romero’s Night of the Living Dead.

 In collaboration with l’Orchestre symphonique ‘Agora the Atelier soloists are Andrea Núñez (Governess), Elizabeth Polese (Miss Jessel), Florence Bourget (Mrs. Grose) and Spencer Britten (Peter Quint) with future Atelier artist and McGill student Vanessa Croome (Miles) and McGill undergraduate Elisabeth Boudreault (Flora).