The Turn of the Screw (opera) The Turn of the Screw (opera) The Turn of the Screw is a 20th-century English chamber opera composed by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by Myfanwy Piper, "wife of the artist John Piper, who had been a friend of the composer since 1935 and had provided designs for several of the operas". The libretto is based on the novella "The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James. The opera was commissioned by the Venice Biennale and given its world premiere on 14 September 1954, at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice. The original recording was made during that year, with the
The Yellow Sofa The Yellow Sofa The Yellow Sofa is an opera by the British composer Julian Philips, with a libretto by writer and director, Edward Kemp, based on the novella "Alves & Co." by Eça de Queiros. The opera was premiered by Glyndebourne Festival Opera in 2009, directed by Frederick Wake-Walker and conducted by Leo McFall. This premiere production was revived at Glyndebourne in autumn 2012 and then taken on a national tour that same year, including a performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Both productions attracted wide critical notice, with a range of reviews in "The Times Literary Supplement",