THE TURN OF THE SCREW / BENJAMIN BRITTEN – PREMIERE

“The ceremony of innocence is drowned” – this ominous quote from the famous poem The Second Coming by the Irish poet William Butler Yeats opens the second act of Benjamin Britten’s opera The turn of the screw, providing a sort of key to its interpretation. The libretto of the work was based on a novel by Henry James, full of understatements and hidden symbolism. A new governess arrives at Bly House to look after the orphaned siblings – Miles and Flora. However, does she stand a chance to protect them from the ghosts inhabiting the mansion? What secrets are the siblings hiding? What role do the late butler Peter Quint and the former teacher Miss Jessel play in the story?

The atmosphere of terror is emphasized by the brilliant use of an orchestra consisting of only thirteen instruments and the refined musical form of the piece. The prologue opening the work functions as a theme and the following short scenes are preceded by its successive variations. The tightening of the screw appearing in the title is also reflected in the harmonic structure of the work. As the events unfold, the viewer plunges deeper and deeper into what is inevitable, and the autobiographical allusions hidden in Britten’s work stimulate reflection on growing up, the power of desire and human nature.

MUSIC DIRECTOR LILIANNA KRYCH

DIRECTOR, SET DESIGNER, VISUALISATIONS KAMILA SIWIŃSKA

COSTUMES, LIGHTING DESIGN, SET DESIGN COLLABORATION AGATA SKWARCZYŃSKA

CHOREOGRAPHY, STAGE MOVEMENT GIEORGIJ PUCHALSKI

PUPPET MAKER KATARZYNA PIETRZYKOWSKA

PUPPET ANIMATION CONSULTANT PIOTR MICHALCZUK

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR KAROL SZWECH

ASSISTANT DIRECTORS SŁAWOMIR JURCZAK, AGNIESZKA KOZŁOWSKA

ASSISTANT SET DESIGNER ANNA ROGÓŻ

STAGE MANAGER WANDA KARPIŃSKA

CAST

GOVERNESS ANNA FARYSEJ

FLORA KAROLINA RÓŻA KOZŁOWSKA

MILES MARCIN GADALIŃSKI

QUINT JACEK SZPONARSKI

GROSE OLGA RUSIN

JESSEL ALEKSANDRA KLIMCZAK

LORD (DANCER) GIEORGIJ PUCHALSKI

THE ORCHESTRA OF THE POLISH ROYAL OPERA

CONDUCTOR LILIANNA KRYCH

Performance suitable for viewers over the age of 16.

Duration: approx. 2h (with an intermission)

The seats in the auditorium are not numbered.

PLEASE NOTE: the entrance to the Royal Theatre in Łazienki Park is located in Agrykola street.