BaL 26.01.13 - Britten's Billy Budd

[Sir Velo]

Interestingly, PB-P referred to Ernest Newman's criticism of the work as recalling HMS Pinafore and was perplexed as to how Newman could have reached such an apparently inappropriate judgement. In fact, Newman's criticism specifically referred to the original climax to Act 1, which was designed to show Vere off as an heroic officer. It was this choral set piece that Newman compared to G&S, and Britten, wounded by the jibe and mindful of Pears' difficulties in meeting the vocal demands of the score at this point, excised the scene when he came to revise the opera a few years later.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I did. It's a great set. I pulled it from the shelf after this thread started... along with the Nagano, in which it's good to see the extra 'Vere' bits referred to by PBP.

Listened to his survey this morning, exemplary BAL I thought - deft introduction to the arch of the story (but with musical illustrations, unlike Ms Duchen's very long, unillustrated 'first paragraph' last week). Possibly because I agreed with everything he said!

Particularly interesting that from the 2010 Glyndebourne show, he selected only the 'Billy in prison' monologue (which I mentioned above was the high point of the production) - although the singer's rather shaky voice was rather cruelly exposed. Interesting there was no mention of John Mark Ainsley's underpowered and unconvincing Vere.

Also intriguing was PBP's analysis of Claggart's character - often a real problem in productions, as it's so easy for him to be just a panto villain. PBP thinking that Billy's virtue was like a mirror to Claggart's evil, and hence has to be smashed, is ok in general terms. The most convincing interpretation I saw was at the ENO in 2005 - same Billy and Claggart as the Hickox set (but sadly no Langridge as Vere)... at that time, I was doing some reviewing for an online arts website (fear not IGI - I gave up when I went off opera!)... With trepidation given the subject matter, and for what it's worth, here are the paras I wrote about Claggart:


"A potential problem with "Billy Budd" is that Claggart can come across as a two dimensional villain, irrationally ill-disposed to Billy. It is a key success of this production that this danger is largely avoided.

John Tomlinson magnificently projects a sense of dark violence without melodrama, vocally hair-raising and physically colossal, bleached face, staring eyes, stiff movements. One believes his self-analysis in his monologue towards the end of Act I. He describes that his response to the "depravity to which [he] was born"
was to construct his own "dark world", but that Billy's "light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it and suffers".

It is pretty explicit in this production that Claggart's "depravity" is homosexuality, which he has buried behind walls of defensive cruelty and discipline. Billy's unique qualities ("O beauty, handsomeness, goodness!"), and Claggart's instant response to them, threaten to be too strong for those defences to withstand. But it is Claggart's repression which is too strong, he cannot bear for those defences to crumble, and he must therefore destroy the threat. This Claggart's villainy is not two-dimensional - it has convincing psychological weight.

A classic dramatic device is used to convey this, and to suggest the strength of Vere's response to Billy and his story too. The elderly Vere is discovered in the very opening scene twisting a piece of red material in his hands - some moments later, when we've gone back in time to the events of the opera itself, we realise what that red material is: it's Billy's necktie when he first comes aboard the Indomitable, the only splash of bright colour in the predominantly grey-blue-black design of the production.

Claggart then orders Billy to take off this non-regulation neckerchief - which we see next during Claggart's monologue (referred to above) when he draws it from within his jacket. He has been keeping it next to his heart - the most potent visual sign of the extent to which Billy is in the process of breaching the Claggart defences."

Very perceptive points here, Caliban. I saw that production (ironically, it was before I started reviewing) and thought John Tomlinson pretty much nailed it in conveying Claggart's inner turmoil. IIRC, Timothy Robinson sang Vere?

I agree that Piers Burton-Page conducted an excellent BaL here... but then he always does. A friend is a studio manager at R3 and is sometimes involved in preparing the BaL feature. She says that PBP is always meticulously prepared, with exact cues for the excerpts he requires from different recordings. He's an exceptionally fine writer as well, and I wish he'd do more IRR reviews.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Interestingly, PB-P referred to Ernest Newman's criticism of the work as recalling HMS Pinafore and was perplexed as to how Newman could have reached such an apparently inappropriate judgement. In fact, Newman's criticism specifically referred to the original climax to Act 1, which was designed to show Vere off as an heroic officer. It was this choral set piece that Newman compared to G&S, and Britten, wounded by the jibe and mindful of Pears' difficulties in meeting the vocal demands of the score at this point, excised the scene when he came to revise the opera a few years later.

Interesting point, SirV; thank you.

[underthecountertenor]

Listened to his survey this morning, exemplary BAL I thought - deft introduction to the arch of the story (but with musical illustrations, unlike Ms Duchen's very long, unillustrated 'first paragraph' last week). Possibly because I agreed with everything he said!

Particularly interesting that from the 2010 Glyndebourne show, he selected only the 'Billy in prison' monologue (which I mentioned above was the high point of the production) - although the singer's rather shaky voice was rather cruelly exposed. Interesting there was no mention of John Mark Ainsley's underpowered and unconvincing Vere.

Given that you listened to the whole thing, and admired PBP's illustrated introduction, I'm surprised you didn't notice that the very first extract played was of John Mark Ainsley's Vere, in the prologue, or that PBP remarked, with apparent approval, that he was 'very distinctive' with 'diction as incisive as ever.'

These things are subjective I know, but neither in the opera house nor on the film did I find him at all underpowered, let alone unconvincing. I found his a deeply thoughtful and moving interpretation.

[underthecountertenor]

(Though I would certainly not disagree with his admiration for Langridge)

[Nick Armstrong]

Given that you listened to the whole thing, and admired PBP's illustrated introduction, I'm surprised you didn't notice that the very first extract played was of John Mark Ainsley's Vere

Really?! Must have still been half asleep!

Very perceptive points here, Caliban. I saw that production (ironically, it was before I started reviewing) and thought John Tomlinson pretty much nailed it in conveying Claggart's inner turmoil. IIRC, Timothy Robinson sang Vere?

Cheers IGI. . Yes that's right I think. TBH he was the weak link in the production, I seem to remember.

[Barbirollians]

Very perceptive points here, Caliban. I saw that production (ironically, it was before I started reviewing) and thought John Tomlinson pretty much nailed it in conveying Claggart's inner turmoil. IIRC, Timothy Robinson sang Vere?

I agree that Piers Burton-Page conducted an excellent BaL here... but then he always does. A friend is a studio manager at R3 and is sometimes involved in preparing the BaL feature. She says that PBP is always meticulously prepared, with exact cues for the excerpts he requires from different recordings. He's an exceptionally fine writer as well, and I wish he'd do more IRR reviews.

Except of course for his appalling blind spot about the Ida Haendel Britten Violin Concerto recording !!!