As the 50th anniversary of the death of British composer Benjamin Britten approaches in December, Victorian Opera is reminding audiences with monumental force of the incisive and unsettlingly twisted psychological drama he was capable of bringing to the operatic stage.
Based on Henry James’ 1898 novella of the same name and composed in the early 1950s – when the scars of World War II were still raw – The Turn of the Screw entertains a merry-go-round of questions that yield few answers, while inviting speculation on the supernatural, childhood innocence and the tide of morality.
Directed by the company’s artistic director Stuart Maunder – originally created by State Opera South Australia and staged in 2022 when Maunder was its artistic director – Britten’s work is passionately staged. Pairing unrelenting eeriness with the modest aesthetic of the Early-Victorian era, the production aligns truthfully and powerfully with Britten’s original vision. On top of that, its musical and vocal qualities are an operatic triumph.
The narrative follows a young Governess who arrives at the isolated country estate of Bly to care for two orphaned children, Miles and Flora. She is forbidden to contact their guardian. Beginning to see ghosts, whom the housekeeper Mrs Grose identifies as former valet Peter Quint and governess Miss Jessell, the new Governess becomes convinced that they are corrupting the children. As her fears grow, so too do the ambiguities. Importantly, Maunder keeps a focused and intelligent directorial hand on the work’s underlying tensions and bleakness.
Whether the ghosts are real or imagined only deepens the mystery. Through Myfanwy Piper’s libretto we learn that the Governess has children of her own, is eager to help the children’s guardian, and feels both alone and a failure. Of course, humanity’s penchant for clarity and answers might steer one towards various interpretations, including the conclusion that what is witnessed is an entirely dreamed sequence by a previously traumatised Governess.
Reprising her Adelaide performance as the Governess, Rachelle Durkin goes far in suggesting that sentiment, giving a gripping account of a woman in combat with psychological turmoil and evil apparitions.
From her arrival filled with joy and anticipation – in a Julie Andrews-like fashion as Maria arrives at the von Trapp estate in The Sound of Music – to the terrifying conclusion when Miles lies lifeless in her lap, Durkin’s tonal purity and highly expressive soprano ranges across extraordinary emotional territory with compelling effect.
As the amiable and protective Mrs Grose, Sharon Prero takes on the appearance of an elderly woman who serves the narrative superbly, her performance augmented by a splendidly balanced and robust soprano.
Exuding a coppery luminous glow, the ghosts of former governess Miss Jessell and Peter Quint are brought to sumptuous, threatening perfection by the work’s third thrilling soprano, Michaela Cadwgan, and versatile baritone, Kanen Breen, respectively.
Also featuring in the Adelaide premiere, and as fine an actor as he is a first-class singer, Breen’s inviting enunciation as the distinguished Prologue makes an equally impressive introduction. Yet it is his deranged-looking Quint who will be remembered as a particularly haunting figure, lurking with pathological intent whenever he appears in Miles’ presence.
The conveyance of childhood playfulness and spirit of innocence is charmingly apparent as developing young artist Genevieve Gray renders Flora with girlish pride and a sweet soprano, while skilful young Oliver Thadoe Naing brings exceptional vitality, with a blend of melancholy and intrigue, to the role of Miles.
Across the work’s episodic arc of Prologue, Theme and 15 Variations, Britten’s score resonated excellently under the stewardship of local Britten authority Paul Kildea, revealing its smouldering power, creeping darkness, and fleeting moments of melodic jolliness with articulative clarity. Orchestra Victoria – reduced to a chamber-sized orchestra of 13 players as originally scored – shone throughout, with individual instrumental highlights dotting the soundscape affectingly.
The high level of captivating theatricality could not have been achieved without the brooding visual context created by award-winning set and costume designer Roger Kirk. Towering to the full height of the proscenium, capacious and delicately ornamented, the set places the characters within an overwhelmingly scaled space that imparts a sense of vulnerability and foreboding, while Trudy Dalgleish’s lighting design appropriately depicts a low-lit world in which darker behaviour evolves.
Britten might not bask in the operatic limelight in the same way the likes of Mozart, Verdi, Puccini et al. do, but he is not forgotten. His works have enjoyed many a staging over recent years in Melbourne. Only one performance remains, however, of this enthralling dive into harrowing psychological drama. Hurry along and get yourself a ticket!
The Turn of the Screw
Palais Theatre, Lower Esplanade, St Kilda
Performance: Tuesday 29 September 2026
Season continues to 1 October 2026
Information and Bookings: www.victorianopera.com.au
Images: Oliver Thadoe Naing, Genevieve Gray, Rachelle Durkin and Sharon Prero in The Turn of the Screw – photo by Jeff Busby | Rachelle Durkin, Genevieve Gray and Michaela Cadwgan in The Turn of the Screw – photo by Jeff Busby | Rachelle Durkin, Michaela Cadwgan and Kanen Breen in The Turn of the Screw – photo by Jeff Busby | Oliver Thadoe Naing and Genevieve Gray in The Turn of the Screw – photo by Jeff Busby
Review: Paul Selar