Elizabeth – The only two people I know who had ever seen Billy Budd warned me before going that the opera isn’t that great. Actually they thought it was terrible: both of them had walked out of the opera many years ago. My other Britten experiences were a bit difficult as his music is not typical operatic fare. I’ve never found myself humming to Britten. But Glyndebourne’s production of Billy Budd at BAM far surpassed my lowered expectations.
Christopher Oram’s set is terrific, it easily conveyed how prison-like working on a ship can be. The set is angled and even the floors curve down toward the center as a ship’s would. There is no escape, no privacy on board and tormenters abound. Even the sleeping quarters are open with men in hammocks in the same open space. Jacques Imbrailo as Billy Budd was great. I understand that Billy Budd is supposed to be played by a very tall and strong strapping man, but the smaller yet tough Imbrailo seemed more fitting. His voice was clear and he was strong, hanging from the edge of the decks, raising and lowering himself with his muscular arms, yet his smaller stature added to his appeal as a softer, more thoughtful and sensitive soul. Clearly not your typical sailor.
The gay themes and homophobia are undeniable, with Claggart, the ship’s Master-at-Arms, played by Brindley Sherratt, first being thrilled at the sight of the new sailor, even referring to him as “a find in a thousand”. Later, for seemingly no reason, he turns on him and succeeds in getting Budd into trouble. Through a series of unfortunate events it leads to Budd’s death. I could find no main motivation in the action for Claggart turning on Budd. But amidst all the male bodies tussling and tumbling and the long stretches quarantined/isolated at sea it becomes clear that there are heightened emotions on the ship. There was a brief moment of hope that his fellow sailors would stand up for Budd, what was right, the truth, but in the end hope evaporated. I found the resolution unsatisfying: Budd is dead, his death is not avenged, there is no victory. His death was in vain. I left with mixed feelings about Billy Budd, regardless of the quality of the production.
Shawn – The only thing I like about the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is that if I don’t like the opera, I can walk 30 feet and go to the movies.
Although the acoustics are great, BAM is awful comfort- and convenience-wise. I paid $98.50 for a ticket in the next to last row of orchestra and my knees hit the seat in front of me no matter how I contorted or twisted. I’ve never encountered that in any major theatre anywhere. Not even in far smaller off or off-off Broadway venues. Additonally, BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House has 5 urinals and 3 stalls for ALL of orchestra (940 seats), which leads to endless lines on the already congested stairs to the mezzanine. BAM’s lobby is a claustrophobic snarled mess of bodies and ill placed concession stands. The upstairs lounge area is nice, but woefully undersized for BAM’s needs, especially on a full opera, theatre and movie night. There are only 2 couches on the entire second floor on which you can sit without having to buy booze or food. There feels like there’s an arrogance to all this inconvenient design. As if how dare one complain about such things as bathrooms, comfort and claustrophobia as one should be happy to just be at BAM. I hate it there.
All that having been said, Glyndebourne’s Billy Budd at BAM demonstrated to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that the air of amateur hour which permeated each NYCO production I saw at BAM was in fact NYCO’s problem NOTBAM’s.
On a quick side note, how many “new” NYCO’s are there now? This. This. This. And I’m sure more. Post more in the comment thread as you find them. We’ll get a dead pool going. Or perhaps set up a Thunderdome death match for them at Le Poisson Rouge. “Two poorly run not-for-profit arts organizations clinging to a nostalgic identity enter, one poorly run not-for-profit arts organization leaves.”
Glyndebourne’s Billy Budd was a slick, polished, emotionally engaging and often riveting evening regardless of my knees hitting the seat in front of me and the stranger to my right’s elbow in my groin. And holy smokes did the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder sound good. It takes about 20 minutes for my Britten ear to attune, but once it does, it’s on. I realize I’m over half a century late to the party on this one, but I was gobsmacked by the gay issues so openly and dramatically front and center in Billy Budd. Especially with all the recent discussion of gay issues in opera a la Brokeback Mountain, Two Boys and others as if discussion of gay issues in mainstream opera were a recent phenomena. Well here is Billy Budd – Act one basically peaks with a wrathful closeted man’s raging manifesto against the object of his desire. (“O beauty, o handsomeness, goodness! Would that I never encountered you!”) Closeted vs open. Inability to communicate. The perverting and corrupting nature of denying and sublimating one’s desires. Our man Britten was openly rocking these issues in opera over sixty years ago.
Director Michael Grandage captures all of this perfectly as does the set by Christopher Oram, which highlights and heightens the sense of pressure by tilting the walls and entire set inward to downstage center. A thick claustrophobic sauna of men, sweat, pressure, violence and sublimated sexuality. I know Billy Budd isn’t only about the gay issues. But it is superbly and fantastically gay. And dark, angry, subverted, violent gay. (One of my favorite kinds incidentally.) I thought it was awesome in the truest sense of the word, awe inspiring.
Much has been written about tenor Mark Padmore’s stunning performance as Captain Vere and I have to agree. He was so riveting, especially in the Epilogue, that I was transported from my wretched cramped seat at BAM and absorbed completely into Captain Vere’s emotional landscape.
Less, though, has been written about bass Brindley Sherratt’s sonorous and terrifying sing as John Claggart, which I found almost as powerful. I may follow these two guys around for a bit.
Jacques Imbrailo as the titular Billy was appropriately handsome and engaging but the entire company was strong. So much so in fact, I often forgot of my discomfort and hatred for the venue. Which is saying a lot.
– Elizabeth Frayer and Shawn E Milnes
Related Links:
A Drag Party on the Deck of the Titanic: The US Premiere of Anna Nicole (NYCO at BAM)
The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned in Brooklyn: The Turn of the Screw (NYCO at BAM)
Super Bowl Mermaids Live!: Rusalka at the Metropolitan Opera
couldn't agree more on the comfort level of the seats – worse than the worst experience on SpiritAir. But what a fabulous production with absolutely nothing to criticize or forgive. The orchestra made the night and yes – I too forgot about the seats by the end.
Thanks for the tip about Spirit Air! 😉
And thank you for reading. Agreed, the orchestra made the night!