Billy Budd

Although I'm not a big fan of opera, this English National Opera production of Benjamin Britten's Billy Budd (sung in English) is not your basic country and western love song taken to grandiose heights. Based on Herman Melville's psychological short novel, and featuring a libretto co-written by novelist E.M. Forster and Eric Crozier, Billy Budd is a simply staged two-act drama set aboard the British man o' war H.M.S. Indomitable in the year 1797. The opera begins with the much later reminiscences of Captain Vere (Phillip Langridge) as he is haunted by an old incident involving a seaman named Billy Budd. In flashback, the main story begins with the introduction of John Claggart (Richard Van Allan), the brutal Master-at-Arms, and the arrival of three new men impressed for naval service--one of whom is the good-natured Billy Budd (Thomas Allen). The war between good (Budd) and evil (Claggart) begins, as the latter concocts a wild story about mutiny against the popular Budd. A tragedy occurs when Budd is called before Captain Vere, and is struck by his recurrent stammer. Faithful to the ideas of Melville's work, and excellently cast, Billy Budd is a rousing good sea story, with a trenchant look at the nature of pure evil. And the music, played back in Stereo Hi-Fi is resoundingly clear. Highly recommended. (See ATLANTIC REALM for availability.)