Turn of the Screw - BBC4

[ardcarp]

Probably me but I couldn't see the point of the occasional appearances of solo instrumentalists around the edge of the set... Particularly if we weren't actually hearing them!

Not really any 'point' but producers have their little whims, and I don't think it spoiled the story...any more than bunches of reeds everywhere, which apparently hid lots of technical equipment from view. Another little whim. Why couldn't Miles be pretending to play the real piano rather than doing 'air music stand'?

Talking of Miles, I love the 'Malo' word he sings....it has such good vowels....which comes from a Latin aide-memoire:

Malo: I would rather be
Malo: in an apple-tree
Malo: than a naughty boy
Malo: In adversity.

[ardcarp]

Apropos of the Britten documentary that followed, I felt poor Peter Glossop got a bit of a bashing for needing a nudge with an entry in Billy Budd. Peter had a truly fabulous voice, and was probably better known as an international artist than others in the cast. I knew him when he retired to Devon. He was a lovely man, a larger-than-life bluff Northerner. In his sitting room were displayed posters of his roles in many of the world's leading opera-houses, including La Scala, Milan and the New York Metropolitan. Sadly, he died about 13 years ago.