Britten: Billy Budd (Elder) (Review)

Britten’s original version of Billy Budd spanned four acts in its 1951 premiere, but was significantly cut and re-imagined for a BBC broadcast in 1960, and this is the version which is most-often performed, and which we see here.

Based on Herman Mellville’s novella of the same name, Britten persuaded E.M. Forster and Eric Crozier (his long-term librettist) to prepare the story for an operatic version of life aboard HMS Indomitable during the Napoleonic Wars in 1797.

The plot is as follows:

The opera opens with Captain Vere, alone onstage, many years after his active service has completed. He is severely troubled by an event on his old ship, Indomitable.

Act 1

Back in 1797, the Napoleonic Wars are in full-swing with the British navy at the forefront of the action, although there have been two recent mutinies back home, at Spithead and the Nore (preliminarily to do with pay and conditions, but which spread to a blockade of London and the executions of the later mutineers). Tension is palpable, and severe punishment meted out for very minor occurrences.

Three men are brought aboard after being ‘impressed’ from a merchant ship, The Rights o‘ Man, one of whom, Billy Budd, impresses all the officers, especially the sadistic Master at Arms, Claggart. Budd is enthusiastic to the point of annoyance, yet his friendliness and willingness to work on board a warship is catching. Shouting a fond farewell to the Rights o’ Man is however misunderstood, and Claggart is ordered to keep an eye on a possible troublemaker.

Budd, and the rest of the ‘volunteers’ are warned about Claggart by the crew, but these feelings are tempered by the almost-universal love and respect they have for their captain, ‘Starry’ Vere.

Vere is spending some quality time reading about the Classical world, but decided he would rather have a drink with a couple of officers, Redburn and Ratcliffe. The mutinies are discussed briefly, leading onto a discussion about Budd’s possible mutinous tendencies. Vere isn’t convinced, and things move onto a general chat about how awful the French are.

In sight of the French coast, the men are below decks and singing a few shanties to pass the hours. Billy finds Claggart’s little pal Squeak going through his belongings, and Billy challenges him. Squeak pulls a knife but Billy easily disarms him, and Claggart has Squeak arrested, despite the fact that he was acting on his orders. Squeak is understandably annoyed.

Claggart actually wants to destroy Billy. They cannot be more different. Claggart is petrified of and attracted to Billy’s goodness in equal measures, and can see the only way to survive is to convince Vere that Billy is the leader of a prospective mutiny aboard his own ship. Persuading a young, recently flogged, sailor to convince Billy that he is wanted to lead a band of disgruntled men, the trap is apparently set, but Billy is so shocked at the suggestion his pronounced stammer kicks in and the sailor runs off. Billy’s mate, Dansker tries to tell billy that Claggart is behind it, but Billy doesn’t listen and looks forward to the promotion he feels sure he is going to be offered.

Act II

A French ship is sighted in the mist and the crew of the Indomitable prepare for battle, with Billy and a few others volunteering to board her once they’re alongside. Claggart’s attempts to have a word with Vere about Budd’s fails, but the French ship escapes into the mist and Vere is now able to receive Claggart’s complaint. He orders both men to his cabin.

Billy arrives at the captin’s cabin, assured he has been summoned for promotion to one or two possible posts, but Vere, still unconvinced by Claggart’s ideas explains to Billy what’s going on. Claggart appears, and Vere orders him to speak his mind. Billy is not able to reply while Claggart talks, yet when confronted by the accusation of planning a mutiny, cannot talk through the shock. Trying his best to get at least one word out, a violent spasm causes Billy to accidentally thump Claggart, killing him instantly.

This being wartime, Vere has no option but to invoke The Articles of War, summoning his officers to form a drumhead Court Martial. Vere knows the penalty for striking, let alone killing a superior officer, and is asked for advice by the officers, who feel a great sense of injustice. Vere claims he is just a witness and cannot advise the court. There is therefore no other option than to condemn Bill to hang as soon as possible. Vere knows he could have saved him.

A funeral befitting an officer is arranged for Claggart.

Early in the morning, the crew gather s to witness Billy’s execution. His final words are ‘Starry Vere, God bless you!’ The crew echo this sentiment, although the sense of injustice after the execution scares the officers into ordering everyone below decks. An actual mutiny doesn’t occur.

Epilogue

Vere, again appearing as an old man, knows he failed Billy in the worst way possible. Remembering his last words is the only comfort he has.

Sound and Vision

Pretty remarkable all round. There is no problem with balance between the pit and stage, despite this being possibly Britten’s largest operatic score (orchestrally-speaking). Individual voices and instruments are picked up cleanly and naturally, and the chorus, especially in the offstage moments is remarkable.

Extras

Two short items, ‘Introducing Billy Budd’ and ‘ Designs on Billy Budd’ include a lot of detail on creating the production, yet leaving enough unsaid, making a re-watch almost compulsory.

Conclusion

One of the first things you notice about this rather marvellous production is the enforced claustrophobia on board an 18th century warship. Christopher Oram’s design fits perfectly with the already curved Glyndebourne auditorium and so the insides of the ship feel like a natural extension of the where the audience are sitting. Paule Constable’s lighting helps hugely with the problems faced when imagining that the upper ‘decks’ of the staging are in daylight at stage level you are either on the gun deck or deep below where the smell of the bilge hits the back or your throat.

All this, together with the requisite amount of ladders, ropes, cannon, grating and a scene in which the stage ceiling is lowered to just over head height all add up to one of the most effective theatrical designs I’ve ever seen.

Of course, being an opera, there’s always the music to consider. This is the moment where I’m ashamed to admit that this was the first time I have seen, or indeed heard Billy Budd, despite being a huge fan of Britten’s music, and having played much of it myself over the years. Here, Britten uses the huge orchestra with consummate skill, and Mark Elder teases every little detail out, and even makes the orchestral interludes almost as powerful as those within Wozzeck (making me wonder yet again what Britten’s output would have been like if the Royal College had allowed him to study with Berg).

On stage, Jacques Imbrailo’s Billy is incredibly impressive, with a powerful, yet light, baritone voice and showing great acting skills which are magnified with the closeness provided by the camera. His pre-execution nervous smiles are almost heartbreaking, as if he really does believe his innate ‘niceness’ can actually get him off.

John Mark Ainsley’s Vere appears an introverted soul, yet the battle between his duty and obvious fondness for the young Billy (as do many on board). There may be a slight reticence to certain musical passages, but the commitment is never in doubt.

As the two senior officers, Matthew Rose and Iain Paterson are (almost) the comic relief, especially in the ‘Don’t like the French’ diatribe, yet are imposing presences on stage and create an almost menacing feeling, as if they are both vying for the Captain’s position should the imagined mutiny occur.

Not as menacing as Phillip Ens’s Claggart however. This is a Master at Arms who has the power of life and death over the crew, and doesn’t necessarily deal his ‘justice’ out fairly. Almost a perfect villain (perhaps one of the few faults of the production, or even the libretto itself, is that almost all the characters on stage are very black and white), his power over the crew is dangerously compromised by Billy’s arrival, and the obvious attraction he has for the newly-acquired hand will destroy him unless he acts quickly. Ens’s voice sounds as if it’s booming from the depths of a very dark soul indeed.

Ben Johnson is an excellent Novice and will almost certainly develop into a major draw over the next five or ten years, and Jeremy White’s Dansker is a warm and sympathetic character.

Overall then, a huge success. Brimming with sexual tension, violence, great singing and playing, and demanding repeated viewing. This has everything you would want from a live operatic performance.

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