Billy Budd (opera)
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Operas
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Billy Budd is an opera by Benjamin Britten, from a libretto by E. M. Forster and Eric Crozier, was first performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 1 December 1951. It is based on the short novel Billy Budd by Herman Melville.
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[edit] Background and premiere
Forster discussed the novel in his Clark lectures at Cambridge University. He had met Britten before the Second World War and they built up a friendship. In 1948, the question arose of whether Forster would provide a libretto for Britten, and by that November, Britten seems to have mentioned Billy Budd as a possibility. In fact, Forster agreed to this project, and worked with Eric Crozier, a Britten collaborator, to write the opera's libretto.[1]
While Britten was writing his opera, the Italian composer Giorgio Federico Ghedini premiered his one-act operatic setting of Billy Budd at the 1949 Venice International Festival. This perturbed Britten somewhat, but Ghedini's opera did not make any impact.
The title role was originally reserved by Britten for Geraint Evans, who prepared it but then withdrew because it lay too high for his voice. Britten chose Theodor Uppman to replace him, and Evans sang a different role, Mr Flint. Britten conducted the premiere, there were 17 curtain calls, and Uppman was acclaimed a new star.
[edit] Performance history
Originally, the opera was written in four acts, but, in 1960, Britten revised it substantially in preparation for a BBC broadcast revival, compressing it into two acts and cutting Vere's appearance at the end of Act I. This meant that his first appearance after the prologue was not a public speech but a private moment alone in his cabin. This was conducted by Britten himself with Joseph Ward as Billy, Peter Pears as Vere and Michael Langdon as Claggart. The final recording was attended by staff from Covent Garden where it was revived in this version in 1964. The two-act version is generally considered the more dramatically effective, but the four-act version is occasionally revived and has been recorded.
Other leading baritones who have sung the role of Billy Budd include Sir Thomas Allen, Simon Keenlyside, Richard Stilwell, Nathan Gunn, Rod Gilfry, Bo Skovhus, Thomas Hampson, and Teddy Tahu Rhodes. Notable Veres have included Philip Langridge and Anthony Rolfe Johnson.
Billy Budd received its United States stage premiere in 1952 at the Indiana University Opera Company. Thereafter, on November 6, 1970 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Uppman reprised the title role for the production. The cast also included Richard Lewis as Captain Vere, Geraint Evans as John Claggart, Bruce Yarnell as Mr. Redburn, Raymond Michalski as Mr. Flint, and Arnold Voketaitis as Lieutenant Ratcliffe.
A 2010 production of the opera by Glyndebourne Festival Opera marked the operatic directorial debut of theatre director Michael Grandage.
[edit] Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, 1 December 1951 (Conductor: Benjamin Britten)[2] |
|---|---|---|
| Captain Vere of HMS Indomitable | Tenor | Peter Pears |
| Billy Budd | Baritone | Theodor Uppman |
| John Claggart, Master-at-arms | Bass | Frederick Dalberg |
| Mr. Redburn, First Lieutenant | Baritone | Hervey Alan |
| Mr. Flint, Sailing Master | Bass-Baritone | Geraint Evans |
| Lieutenant Ratcliffe | Baritone or Bass | Michael Langdon |
| Red Whiskers,an impressed man | Tenor | Anthony Marlowe |
| Donald | Baritone | Bryan Drake |
| Dansker, an old seaman | Bass | Inia Te Wiata |
| A Novice | Tenor | William McAlpine |
| The Novice's Friend | Baritone | John Cameron |
| Squeak | Tenor | David Tree |
| Bosun | Bass | Ronald Lewis |
| First Mate | Bass | Rhydderch Davies |
| Second Mate | Bass | Hubert Littlewood |
| Maintop | Tenor | Emlyn Jones |
| Arthur Jones, an impressed man | Tenor or Baritone | Alan Hobson |
| Cabin Boy | spoken role | Peter Flynn |
| Four midshipmen | trebles | Brian Ettridge, Kenneth Nash, Peter Spencer, Colin Waller |
| Chorus: Midshipmen, Powder monkeys, Officers, Sailors, Drummers, Marines | ||
[edit] Synopsis
- Place: On board the battleship HMS Indomitable, a "seventy-four"
- Time: The French Revolutionary Wars in 1797
[edit] Prologue
Captain Edward Fairfax Vere, an old man, reflects on his life and his time in the navy. He reflects on the conflict between good and evil, he is tormented by guilt over the case of Billy Budd on board his ship, HMS Indomitable, some years earlier.
[edit] Act 1
The crew of the Indomitable works on deck. For slipping and bumping into an officer, the Novice is sentenced to be flogged. At the same time a cutter approaches, returning from a merchant ship where it has pressed three sailors into England's Navy.
One of these sailors, Billy Budd, seems overjoyed with his situation - entirely different from the other two who are not so happy. Claggart, the Master-at-Arms, calls him "a find in a thousand," despite the slight defect of a stammer. Billy says a jaunty farewell to the Rights o' Man, his former ship, innocent of what his words imply. The officers take his words as a deliberate provocation and order the men below decks. Claggart tells Squeak, the ship's corporal, to keep an eye on Billy and give him a rough time.
The Novice returns from his flogging, unable to walk and helped along by a friend. Billy is shocked at the cruelty of the punishment, but is certain that if he follows the rules he will be in no danger. Dansker, an old sailor, nicknames Billy "Baby Budd" for his innocence.
At this point in the four-act version came the climax of Act I, in which Captain Vere appeared on deck to give a speech to the men. In the two-act version, Dansker simply tells the others Vere's nickname, "Starry Vere," and this is enough for the impulsive Billy to swear his loyalty to the unseen captain.
In his cabin, Captain Vere muses over classical literature. His officers enter, and they discuss the revolution in France and the mutinies in the British Navy sparked by French ideas of democracy. The officers warn that Billy may cause trouble, but Vere dismisses their fears and expresses his love for the men under his command.
Below decks the sailors rough-house, but old Dansker remains gloomy. Billy goes for some tobacco to cheer him up, and discovers Squeak rifling through his kit. In a rage, Billy begins to stammer. He knocks Squeak to the ground as Claggart and the corporals enter. Billy is still unable to speak, but Claggart takes his side and sends Squeak to the brig. However, when alone, Claggart reveals his hatred for Billy and vows to destroy him. He orders the Novice to try to bribe Billy into joining a mutiny, and the broken-spirited Novice quickly agrees. Billy refuses the bribe and believes he will be rewarded, but Dansker warns him to beware of Claggart.
[edit] Act 2
Claggart begins to tell Vere about the danger that Billy represents, but is interrupted by the sighting of a French ship. The Indomitable attacks, but loses the enemy in the mist. Claggart returns, and tells Vere that Billy poses a threat of mutiny. Vere does not believe him and sends for Billy so that Claggart may confront him.
Later, in Vere's cabin, Claggart repeats the false charge to Billy's face. Once again, Billy begins to stammer in rage. Unable to speak, he strikes Claggart, killing him. The Captain is forced to convene an immediate court-martial, and the officers find Billy guilty and sentence him to hang. Billy begs Vere to save him, and the officers appeal to him for guidance, but Vere remains silent and accepts their verdict. He goes into the cabin where Billy is being held, and the orchestra suggests a tender offstage meeting as the captain informs Billy of the death sentence. This was the end of Act 3 in the four-act version.
Billy prepares for his execution in his cell. Dansker brings him a drink and reveals that the crew is willing to mutiny for his sake, but Billy is resigned to his fate. Four o'clock that morning, the crew assembles on deck, and Billy is brought out. The Articles of War are read, and show that Billy must be hanged. Just before his execution, he praises Vere with his final words, singing "Starry Vere, God Bless you!" echoed by the rest of the crew.
[edit] Epilogue
Vere, as an old man, remembers Billy's burial at sea, reflecting that the man he failed to save has instead blessed and saved him. As he recalls Billy's blessing, he realises he has discovered genuine goodness and can be at peace with himself.
[edit] References
- ^ James Fenton, "The sadist and the stutterer". The Guardian, 2 December 2005.
- ^ *Herbert, David (editor) (1979). The Operas of Benjamin Britten. London: Hamish Hamilton. ISBN 0-241-10256-1.
[edit] External links
- Current performances of Billy Budd from Operabase
- Allen, Stephen Arthur, " Billy Budd: Temporary Salvation and the Faustian Pact", Journal of Musicological Research, Vol. 25, Issue 1, January 2006:43-73. (Also can be purchased at Informaworld.com)
- Further Billy Budd discography
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