GLYNDEBOURNE DOWNLOAD: The Turn of the Screw.

[Chris Newman]

Once again Glyndebourne Opera will be downloading a performance of an opera, this time Benjamin Britten's dark "The Turn of the Screw". Like last month's "Die Meistersinger von Nurenberg" the opera will be available for three weeks. I for one am glad it is available for late viewers as I shall be in London for the Proms Brahms mini-fest next weekend.

The first screening is of the live performance on Sunday 21st August from 6pm and can be found nearer the time on

http://www.guardian.co.uk/glyndebourne

until 9pm on the 12th of September.

Jonathan Kent’s eerily unsettling staging returns to the Festival conducted by Glyndebourne on Tour’s exciting new Music Director, Jakub Hrůša.

Conductor: Jakub Hrůša
Director: Jonathan Kent
Designer: Paul Brown
Lighting designer: Mark Henderson

Cast includes

Prologue/Peter Quint: Toby Spence
Governess: Miah Persson
Mrs Grose: Susan Bickley
Miss Jessel: Giselle Allen
Miles: Thomas Parfitt
Flora: Joanna Songi

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Details, synopsis and audio clips are available:

http://glyndebourne.com/production/turn-screw

Alternatively there are live screenings on Sunday at the Science Museum, London, and selected PictureHouse cinemas.

[Nick Armstrong]

Indebted to you for this, Chris, many thanks

[Sydney Grew]

Yes - thank you.

[amateur51]

What a treat! I saw Opera North's production earlier in the year and I'll be interested to see how the Glyndbourne production takes this wonderful work forwards. For years the 'old' Jonathan Miller/ENO production was my benchmark but things have moved on substantially since then, although I retain an affection for that ENO set.

Happy days!

[Nick Armstrong]

the 'old' Jonathan Miller/ENO production was my benchmark but things have moved on substantially since then, although I retain an affection for that ENO set.

Ammy, that was the first opera production I ever saw - and I have never forgotten the effect of Philip Langridge stepping forward to deliver the Prologue mesmerisingly, and then the spookiness of that set you mentioe, the shimmering reflecting panels etc. Seen several productions since then, none quite delivers in the same way....

[Belgrove]

I attended this on Tuesday and would urge everyone to see it by what ever means are available to you. I too saw Opera North's ivery impressive production, a huge improvement on ENO's attempt of old, but Glyndebourne's takes it to another level - it is truly a 'horrible' and deeply unsettling piece of theatre.

The cast is without fault, and the complex role of the Governess is particularly well portrayed by Miah Persson, with perfect clarity and crystaline purity of tone. Also Susan Bickley's Mrs Grose becomes a moral focus within the dramatic churn to a greater extent than I have witnessed before. The playing of the thirteen members of the LSO under Jakub Hrusa sounded glorious in the theatre's bright acoustic, so much of the orchestration's inner writing was revealed. It is a wonderfully orchestrated work.

This production is out of the top draw. The swiftly changing scenes use video and the theatre's multiple revolve to great effect and the simple but protean set cleverly both divides and interpenetrates the two worlds inhabited by the characters. It convinces me that the work is Britten's operatic masterpiece - it is compact and complete. Do try to catch it if you can.

Sleep well!

[Mary Chambers]

6 p.m. today! It's on my list

[Dave2002]

Is this a one off? I found it's on now, and it looks good full screen on my iMac, but I maybe don't want to watch it now.

Doesn't seem to work on an iPad. Also, is there any way to have the subtitles as optional?

Is it going to be available again after the live performance? There don't seem to be too many details on the site, but I'm optimistic!

This kind of thing may make me rethink my audio/video system yet again. Looks as though we need something attached to the TV to get the video working well.

[bluestateprommer]

It's intermission right now, and I have to say that this is an excellent performance. I'm glad to have found this, and kind of sorry that I missed the Meistersinger from earlier this year. The only live TTotS that I've ever seen was a college performance, which obviously the Glyndebourne production out-classes technically.

BTW, for those wondering about the Latin words in the lesson scene, this 2002 article from The Guardian may interest/disturb you:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2002/jan/05/arts.highereducation

Oh, and for Dave2002, I think that this will be available for 1 week after today, if you don't want to watch it at this time.

[makropulos]

From the Guardian website:
"or you can also watch it here for the three following weeks – the stream will be available until 9am on 12 September 2011."

[Nick Armstrong]

Only caught the latter part... Magnificent. I've never heard the Governess better sung. The final scene has reduced me to rubble... Going to have a dram or two and a gasper to recover...

[DracoM]

Stunning.
Toby Spence the best Quint I've ever seen - and I did see Pears. And the Thomas Parfitt / Miles was wonderfully nuanced, ambivalently self-aware, tad malevolent, yet innocent, and as usual Susan Bickley was a knockout Mrs G. Star of show Miah Persson. Great orchestra and the staging / lighting so so was full of invention, fluidity and so illustrative of both inner and outer worlds of the characters / ghosts.

Truly magnificent performance - fantastic camera work too.

[Mary Chambers]

I saw it in the cinema with someone who'd never seen it before, which gave me a new perspective. Will write more tomorrow when I'm less tired. Fantastic singing for the most part. Marvellous playing in the pit.

[Colonel Danby]

I haven't seen the Glyndebourne "Screw" yet, though it has had rave reviews in the press. I do have on CD a marvellous Philip Langridge as Quint and Flott as the Governess on an old Collins Classics recording. But for a really scary performance of the "devil" you can't beat Ian Bostridge whom I saw at Covent Garden a few years ago: I still have nightmares! (and if you don't rate it, he will turn you into a frog: his doctoral thesis on 17th Century European Witchcraft is still available from Oxford University Press, a bargain at only 40 pounds).

[Bryn]

From the Guardian website:
"or you can also watch it here for the three following weeks – the stream will be available until 9am on 12 September 2011."

"Watch on demand from Monday".