This review is of the third of four scheduled Santa Fe Opera performances of a Garsington Opera production of Britten’s “The Turn of the Screw” (now owned by the Canadian Opera Company).
Jacquelyn Stucker’s Governess
[Photo: Jacquelyn Stucker as the Governess; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
Pennsylvania soprano Jacquelyn Stucker assayed the role of the new Governesss of Bly, an English country house. She meets the Prologue (played by Brenton Ryan in his first of two roles he performs in the opera.) The Prologue tells her that she will be responsibie for the care of two children and maintenance of the household, including supervising Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper. The children’s uncle, referred to as the Guardian, owns the house, but lives in a different city. Being very busy, the Guardian does not want to be contacted for any reason. Any problems that arise must be resolved by the Governess alone.
The Governess builds a rapport with the two children, and appears to be especially fond of the younger child, a boy, Miles, with whom she spends happy times in play. The boy has been in trouble at school, which will not allow him to return. She learns from the housekeeper that both Miles and his older sister, Flora, were affected by the deaths of two former members of the household, Peter Quint and Miss Jessell, both of whom Mrs. Grose says are dead.
Stucker is vocally and dramatically equipped to handle the emotional intensity of the Governess role. As the Governess, Stucker, who is peforming onstage virtually every moment of the opera, becomes increasingly aware that Peter Quint and Miss Jessel, although both are supposed to be dead, appear to have a hold on the two children. She, herself, comes to accept that Quint and Jessel exist.
Strucker, a 2015 and 2016 Santa Fe Opera Apprentice had performed the role of Oronte in Santa Fe Opera’s production of “Alcina” seven years prior [Review: Santa Fe Opera’s “Alcina”: Beautifully Sung Enchantment – July 29, 2017.] Earlier in the 2025 Opera’s 2025 season,she replaced another artist as Countess Almaviva int Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”..
Annie Blitz’ Fiora and Everett Baumgarten’s Miles
[Photo: Annie Blitz as Fiora; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
Fourteen year-old Texas soprano Annie Blitz perfomed the part of Flora, the elder of the two children under the Governess’ care. From the beginning Blitz’ Flora was a lively presence, skipping rope and taking part in games.
Although Fiora interacts, as a young tennager might, with younger brother Miles, the Governess and the houseieeper Mrs. Grose, it soon becomes evident that Fiora is drawn mysteriously to the ghostly image of Miss Jessel, who had been the children’s home-school teacher (played by Wendy Bryn Harmer).
In 2024 the Houston Grand Opera mounted the Glimmerglass Festival production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music”. Blitz was one of 500 teenagers who auditioned for the Von Trapp Family roles. Blitz beat out hundreds of competitors to land the cover role for Louisa Van Trapp. That experience helped prepare her the role of Flora.
Blitz has a fine voice and acts well,suggesting that, pursuing a course of vocal study appropriate to her age and experience, should yield dividends.
[Photo: Everett Baumgartner as Miles; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
Thirteen year-old Texas eighth grader Everett Baumgarten, like Blitz in his Santa Fe Opera debut season, posseses a resume that would be impressive for even a much older artist. This is his second musical venue in which he performed the role of Miles, following appearances in the role at the 2024 Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina.
Earlier this year Baumgarten performed the title role in Rachel Portman’s youth opera, “The Little Prince” at Houston’s Opera in the Heights. Like Blitz, he covered an artist cast as one of the Van Trapp children in Houston Grand Opera’s mounting of “The Sound of Music”.
Baumgarten was a gifted Miles, presenting the boy as a likable young teen, responsive to the Governess’ affectionate attention. Baumgarten’s experience playing a role in two different productions has given him an obvious self-assurance onstage. His Miles is at once the model of good behavior, yet his Miles displays an eeriness about him whenever Peter Quint’s name is mentioned.
Brenton Ryan’s Prologue and Peter Quint
[Photo: the Prologue (Brenton Ryan, right) provides the newly hired Governess (Jacquelyn Stucker, left) with a list of her duties and responsibilities; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
Missouri tenor Brenton Ryan took on the two roles that are played by the same tenor, the Prologue and Peter Quint. The two roles are the only roles in the opera that are not sung in the soprano range. In the former role, Ryan provides expositional detail at the opera’s beginning, through his instructions to the New Governess.
The latter role is the mysterious Peter Quint. Because of the operatic structure, Quint and Miss Jessel have voices and possess bodies, but whether they are meant to be real or phantasmagoric was deliberately not specified by composer Benjamin Britten nor librettist Myfawney Piper.
One of the themes that unites the two characters is Prologue’s stressing that the children’s Guardian must never be contacted by the Governess and that she must resolve all problems herself.
When the Governess and Housekeeper, Mrs Grose, become convinced that problems exist that must be brought to the Guardian’s attention, the Governess writes a letter. The ghostly Peter Quint enlists Miles to steal the letter to prevent it dein being posted.
[Photo: The Governess (Jacqueline Stucker, below, kenelling on the floor) is distrubed by the apparitiona of Peter Quint (Brenton Ryan, above) in the window; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
For the past decade I have been impressed by the performances of Brenton Ryan, who was a prize winner in Placido Domingo’s international Operalia contest. My positive early impressions of him were as Leon in Corigliano’s “Figaro opera” [Review: Los Angeles Opera Launches Ambitious New Production of “Ghosts of Versailles” – February 7, 2015], as Janek [Review: Nadja Michael’s Arresting Performance in “Makropulos Case” – San Francisco Opera, October 14, 2016] and as the Novice on the Indomitable [Review: An Indomitable “Billy Budd”, San Francisco Opera, September 7, 2019].
Ryan is a sought-after prformer for contemporary operas, including world premieres and new productions of recently introduced works. Examples include recent operas by John Adams [World Premiere Run Review: Adams’ “Antony and Cleopatra” – San Francisco Opera, September 18, 2022] and Poul Ruders [Review: A Cautionary “Handmaid’s Tale” , San Francisco Opera, September 14, 2024,]
Wendy Bryn Harmer’s Miss Jessell and Jennifer Johnson Cano’s Mrs Grose
[Photo: Wendy Bryn Harmer as Miss Jessel; edited image of a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
California’s Wendy Bryn Harmer plays Miss Jessel, one of the more unusual roles in the operatic repertory. Harner’s Jessel is a spectral presence in scenes with Flora (who is mysteriously attracted to her). Stucker’s Governess is deeply concerned about Miss Jessel’s influence on Flora, which leads her to the fateful decision to disobey the Guardian’s instructions and write him a letter.
It is the act of writing the letter and preparing it for posting that leads to the Miles stealing the letter for Peter Quint and the opera’s tragic denouement.
Harmer has the dramatic soprano voice that fits well with Miss Jessel’s vocal music. Over the years, Harmer has mastered a repertory that includes such Wagnerian roles as Freia [Review: A Richly Rewarding, Re-imagined “Rheingold” – Seattle Opera, August 4, 2013] and as Gutrune [Review: World Treasure – Seattle Opera’s Gripping and Glorious “Götterdämmerung” – August 9, 2013], and such 20th century roles as Fata Morgana [Review: Opera Philadelphia’s Richly Melodic, Laugh-filled “Love for Three Oranges” – September 20, 2019]. See also: Rising Stars: An Interview with Wendy Bryn Harmer.
[Photo: Jennifer Johnson Cano as Mrs. Grose; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
The character of Mrs Grose is performed by Missouri soprano Jennifer Johnson Cano. Mrs Grose is the only one the four living residents of the house (along with the Governess, Flora and Miles) who has had no experience in observing or believing in the existence of supernatural beings.
Cano sang the part convincingly, clearly portraying the concern that her character feels over events that she does not understand.
Cano returned to the Santa Fe Opera after her 2024 debut season in which she took part (along with Brenton Ryan and Wendy Bryn Harmer) in that season’s world premiere [World Premiere Run Review: Gregory Spears’ “The Righteous”, Santa Fe Opera, July 26, 2024]
In addition to their “Turn of the Screw” roles, both Wendy Bryn Harmer and Jennifer Johnson Cano performed roles as valkyrie sisters in Santa Fe Opera’s 2025 season Wagner production [Review: A spectacular “Walküre” led by Tamara Wilson, Ryan Speedo Green, Jamez McCorkle and Vida Micneviciute – Santa Fe Opera, July 30, 2025].
Maestra Gemma New and the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra
[Photo: Maestra Gemma New; edited image, based on a publicity photograph from gemmanew.com.]
New Zealand Maestra Gemma New, in her Santa Fe Opera debut season, led a chamber opera-sized Santa Fe Opera Orchestra in a praiseworthy performance of Britten’s operatic score.
Maestra New serves as the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the New Zealand Symhony Orchestra.
In addition, she frequently appears as guest conductor for symphony orchestras throughout the world.
Director Louisa Muller and Scenic and Costume Designer Christopher Oram
[Photo: Director Louisa Muller; edited image of an Eric Melear photograph from louisamuller.com.]
Rhode Island director Louisa Muller brings her production of “The Turn of the Screw”, created for England’s Garsington Opera, to Santa Fe Opera. Her company debut took place in 2024, directing a production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” [See Review: Season Opening “Traviata” Displays Soprano Mane Galoyan’s Glorious Violetta – Santa Fe Opera, June 28, 2024]. The latter production subsequently traveled to The Dallas Opera in Fall 2024 and is scheduled for revival at the Garsington Opera in 2026.
I had admired Muller’s work at the Los Angeles Opera, reviving two of British director Ian Judge’s productions [See Review: An All-Star “Don Carlo” from Plácido Domingo and Friends – Los Angeles Opera, September 29, 2018 and Streamed Performance Review: A Vocally Glorious “Tannhäuser” with Savage, Jakubiak, Meachem, Manotchkina, and Robinson – Los Angeles Opera, October 24, 2021].
For “Turn of the Screw” she again collaborated with her colleague from “Traviata” – English set and costume designer Christopher Oram, whose Santa Fe Opera debut also took place in 2024.
[Photo: Designer Christopher Oram’s scenic design for the Bly Country House Interior; edited image, based on a Curtis Brown photograph, courtesy of the Santa Fe Opera.]
Oram’s impressive set suggests the Guardian’s wealth and social standing. Yet, throughout the opera, the wall of oversized doors and windows give a sense of foreboding, as if they are enclosing something evil.
Oram’s costumes are mid-19th century style. The characters of the Governess, Mrs Grose and Miss Jessel wear billowing black dresses. The children don a variety of day clothes and bed attire. The Narrator/Peter Quint characters wear fashionable gentleman’s atttire.
In addition to Oram’s collaborations with Louisa Muller’s productions of “La Traviata” cited above, I admired Oram’s scenic design for another production of a Britten opera [Review: An Indomitable “Billy Budd”, San Francisco Opera, September 7, 2019], and, before that, of a Mozart favorite [Review: Boogie Nights at Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro” – Houston Grand Opera, January 30, 2016].
Recommendation
I strongly recommend the Louisa Muller producction and Santa Fe Opera cast of Britten’s “Turn of the Screw”.