"The Turn of the Screw" and the Houston premiere of "The Saint of Bleecker Street" will run Jan. 24 - 28 at Moores Opera House.
Based on Henry James' haunting novella, "The Turn of the Screw" tells the tale of a governess assigned to care for two children at a remote English estate. The young nanny gets more than she bargained for as two menacing spirits pose a threat to the kids in her care. With music by Benjamin Britten and libretto by Myfawny Piper, the opera debuted in 1954 in Venice, Italy's, Teatro LaFenice.
"This production is very atmospheric, very creepy and actually is structured very cinematically," said Buck Ross, director of the Moores Opera Center. "The original story remains a classic, and this opera really captures its frightening feel."
While "The Turn of the Screw" focuses on spirits, "The Saint of Bleecker Street," centers its attentions toward spirituality. It tells the story of a woman who experiences the stigmata every Good Friday. Some think she's a saint, but her brother has his reservations.
"The Saint of Bleecker Street" premiered in 1954 at New York's Broadway Theatre and became an instant classic. The opera received the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, the Music Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize in Music.
Reserved seats are $15 and $10 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, call 713-743-3313, or visit http://www.music.uh.edu/events/schedule_opera.html.
| WHAT: | "The Turn of the Screw," "The Saint of Bleecker Street" |
| WHEN: | "The Turn of the Screw"7:30 p.m., Jan. 24, 26, 27 "The Saint of Bleecker Street"7:30 p.m., Jan. 25, 28; 2 p.m., Jan. 27 |
| WHERE: | Moores Opera House University of Houston - Entrance 16 Houston, TX 77204 |
| WHO: | University of Houston/Moores School of Music |