“Benjamin Britten’s English operas are rightfully credited with resurrecting the English language opera and providing a completely different approach from that of the Italian, German, and French composers. His mastery at text setting and fitting it musically within the languages natural speech patterns push the text to the forefront of importances. However, his music and settings are full of just as much subtext. The Turn of the Screw (and his much grander in scope Peter Grimes and A Midsummer Night’s Dream) are full of hidden meaning and things left unsaid. It is these sidelong glances that reveal a gay, persecuted composer at his most vulnerable and also at his most rebellious. UMKC Conservatory’s production of The Turn of the Screw strangely eschews some of these subtexts and instead introduces some questionable choices made by UMKC faculty member director Fenlon Lamb.” Read more from Lee Hartman’s review…