The Turn of the Screw

Admirers of Benjamin Britten's 1954 chamber opera, which masterfully recasts Henry James' ghost story, are faced with an abundance of riches on DVD. Petr Weigl's 1982 film, which used the soundtrack of a Covent Garden production led by Sir Colin Davis, remains visually striking and vocally strong, while Arthaus Musik's recently-issued performance from the 1990 Schwetzinger Festival is also recommendable (see VL-9/03). But even in so competitive a field, this new version from BBC Wales is exceptional: like the Weigl version, it's a true film rather than a simple staging, and director Katie Mitchell takes advantage of the medium, opening up the action to include outdoor footage and using cinematic techniques to create a genuinely creepy atmosphere (it could be argued that in the latter stages Mitchell goes overboard in the use of cuts and visual insertions, but the imaginative quality of her work remains welcome). The cast sings wonderfully and inhabits the characters well (although Lisa Milne is a trifle too composed as the governess suspicious that her young charges are being haunted by evil spirits), and Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia in a splendid traversal of the instrumental score. The Dolby Digital 5.1 and LCPM stereo sound is mostly excellent, with an occasional imbalance between voices and orchestra, especially when characters are “offstage.” But the flaws here are minor: this is an evocative realization of an exquisite opera, which must now be considered the preferred version. DVD extras include a synopsis and cast gallery. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)