Benjamin Britten: BILLY BUDD
Libretto by E.M. Forster and Eric Crozier, after the novel by HermanMelville
Cast
Edward Fairfax Vere,
Captain of HMS Indomitable............................ Timothy Robinson
First Mate.................................................. Paul Napier-Burrows
Second Mate................................................. Andrew Tinkler
Mr Flint, Sailing Master............................. Pavlo Hunka
Bosun................................................ Nicholas Folwell
Donald............................................... Toby Stafford-Allen
Maintop.............................................. Andrew Rees
Novice .............................................. James Edwards
Squeak, a ship's corporal............................ Richard Coxon
Mr. Redburn, First Lieutenant........................ Ashley Holland
Lieutenant Ratcliffe............................................... Brindley Sherratt
John Claggart, Master-at-Arms........................... John Tomlinson
Red Whiskers, an impressed man........................... Adrian Thompson
Arthur Jones, an impressed man............................ Geraint Hilton
Billy Budd, foretopman............................................... Simon Keenlyside
Novice's friend.................................................. William Berger
Dansker, an old seaman.................................................. Gwynne Howell
Midshipmen/powder monkeys
Michael Evans Ben Freeburn Thomas Jennings
Bruce Lancaster-Rous Tim Lehner Charles Manton
Dominic Novak Johan de Silva
Chorus and orchestra of English National Opera
Conductor: Andrew Litton
Run, do not walk, to see this! If, indeed, there are any tickets left...
This is a production and a performance of which ENO can be proud. Theorchestral playing under Andrew Litton was superb throughout. The firstsombre menacing chords set the scene as the curtain rise on a sombre,almost empty space in which Captain Vere sits alone, remembering theevents aboard the HMS Indomitable in 1797.
It is a very minimalist set, consisting of little more than a platformwhich rises, sinks or swivels as the need arises, and two other smallerplatforms that can be pushed in place to serve as look-out posts. I wasperfectly happy with this - I have read elsewhere that some audiencemembers would have perferred more realism, in the shape of rigging, amast, etc, but for me the minimalist setting was PSYCHLOGICALLY realisticand convincing.
I felt that the casting of Timothy Robinson as Captain Vere was perhapsless than ideal, especially with my memories of Philip Langridge (andAnthony Rolfe-Johnson on CD). Although he did seem to be able to conveyVere's awareness of the loneliness of command, the sound was sometimesmuffled and I could not always hear the words. (I know this is often saidabout the Coliseum, and it obviously has as much to do with the acousticsas with the singers' diction, but I COULD hear every word that Tomlinsonand Keenlyside sang). This was a problem when it came to the point atwhich Vere decides to tell Billy his fate; if the sound is muffled, thepoint that Vere's lines at this point are an ironic reprise of Claggart'smonologue is missed. Vere sings..."before what tribunal do I stand if I destroy goodness? The angel of Godhas struck and the angel must hang - through me. Beauty, handsomeness,goodness, it is for me to destroy you".Which echoes the sentiments expressed in Claggart's monologue. ("I, JohnClaggart....have you in my power and I will destroy you")
Tomlinson was a very dark, menacing Claggart...terrifying in fact (navalregulations dictated that he should shave off his beard!)Hearing Tomlinsonsing the monologue "O beauty, handsomeness, goodness! Would that I havenever encountered you") is indeed an encounter with the twisted soul ofClaggart, almost unbearable in its intensity - but one also feels a sortof horrified pity for him, that he realises he is evil and can do nothingabout it, to save either himself or Billy.
Keenlyside was good at conveying the unselfconscious innocence of Billy -he also looked good in the part, swinging athletically from bars andclimbing nonchalantly up ladders. He wasn't at his best in "Billy in theDarbies", unfortunately, but this is where the orchestral playing reallycame into its own, with those haunting, plangent tones on the highwoodwinds.
One thing that struck me about the production was that Billy's red scarfbecame a sort of visual leitmotif. Perhaps a trifle unsubtle? Buteffective, nonetheless. Claggart takes it when he orders Billy to take itoff, then during the monologue he takes it out of his pocket and twists itin his hands - later he uses it to wrap the coins for his false accusationagainst Billy. Finally Captain Vere "inherits" it - and the opera ends asit began, with Captain Vere alone on the stage, stripped of his navalinsignia (he removes his hat, jacket and sword as Billy is hanged), but hehas Billy's scarf in his hands......
Dr. Jane Susanna ENNIS
http://members.fortunecity.co.uk/leonora/opera.html
