Britten: Billy Budd *****
Glyndebourne, 17th August 2013
After Friday evening’s Prom performance of The Midsummer Marriage, I followed hot on the heels of conductor Andrew Davis to the Sussex Downs, where the former Glyndebourne Music Director is at the helm for the first revival of Michael Grandage’s production of Billy Budd. In 2010, I saw the cinema relay and have since rejoiced in the resulting DVD, but neither can entirely do justice to Christopher Oram’s magnificent set, a cross-section of HMS Indomitable, or the way its tiered decking almost seamlessly extends the contours of the elegant wooden panelling of Glyndebourne’s auditorium. In this revival, faithfully directed by Ian Rutherford, several crew members remain – notably Jacques Imbrailo in the title role – but new recruits combine to make this an even stronger production, if that were possible, both musically and dramatically.
Jacques Imbrailo (Billy Budd)
© Richard Hubert Smith
I simply cannot imagine a better staging of Budd. The different tiers in Oram’s set allows the director to fill the stage with crew or, by lowering a giant wooden grating, to give the impression of the claustrophobic lower decks. Vere’s cabin is evoked via a drop-in panel so that the scenes flow. Tom Roden’s stage choreography is tightly directed, especially in the thwarted attack on the French, all hands on deck, cannons primed, red ensign billowing. Paule Constable’s evocative lighting is beyond superb.
The production is faithful to the opera’s intended 1797 setting, as is Grandage’s direction. He doesn’t overtly imply the motives for Claggart’s desire to destroy Billy, nor for Vere’s failure to save him. We are presented with the characters as portrayed in the libretto by Forster and Crozier and can draw our own conclusions… no groping of the Novice by Claggart here. The brutality of 18th century naval life is not shied away from, however, and the physical labours of the crew are realistically caught. Everything about the direction just seems so right, from light-hearted shanties below decks to the freeze-frame held by Billy’s four shipmates who pull his noose.
Brindley Sherratt (Claggart), Mark Padmore (Vere) and Jacques Imbrailo (Billy Budd)
© Richard Hubert Smith
Imbrailo’s Billy is still fresh-faced and fresh-voiced (remarkably so since the birth of his daughter the day before had deprived him of much sleep). He athletically swings down from the upper decks and poignantly conveys Billy’s wide-eyed innocence in thinking that Vere is about to promote him when Claggart’s malevolent charge against him is revealed. His baritone seems to have darkened a little, but still sounds more than youthful enough for the role. ‘Billy in the Darbies’ was choking in the way Imbrailo sustained the vocal line at such a whispered dynamic.
Mark Padmore, the Novice on Richard Hickox’s superb 1999 Chandos recording, is promoted through the ranks to Captain Vere. His portrayal was remarkable – more believable as a leader and a man of action than John-Mark Ainsley’s poet of 2010 – and full of pent-up anger at himself for failing to save Billy. Indeed, his Vere was almost violent in his response to Claggart’s false claims about Budd. Padmore’s tenor rang out strongly when required, strained almost to its limit. His diction was exemplary, so much so that one didn’t miss surtitles in the prologue and epilogue. In fact, every word from the whole cast was clear, rendering the surtitles entirely superfluous.
Brindley Sherratt’s beetle-black Claggart was full of vocal menace, especially in his big Act I paean to beauty. The physical intimidation some Claggarts exert over crews was less in evidence here – this Claggart intimidated through his brooding hawk-like presence, whereas Philip Ens last time round was more suave and insinuating. After reports of first night pantomime boos for Claggart, Sherratt was greeted by wild applause and responded by blowing a kiss to the audience.
Billy Budd at Glyndebourne
© Richard Hubert Smith
The remainder of the ship’s crew was very fine. Stephen Gadd’s Mr Redburn was authoritative, matched by David Soar’s sonorous Mr Flint, delighting the audience with their ‘Don’t like the French’ quips in Act I. Darren Jeffery’s Lieutenant Ratcliffe, familiar from last time round, was just as secure. Other fine character reprisals came from Alasdair Elliott’s protesting Red Whiskers and Colin Judson’s whingeing Squeak. Peter Gijsbertsen, previously the Maintop, made for a suitably frightened Novice.
Of the supposedly ‘minor’ characters, Jeremy White’s Dansker is still the most affecting; a whiskered old sea-dog offering sage advice to the new conscripts. Having Dansker tie Billy’s noose is an expert directorial touch – subtle but telling. Another to shine was Duncan Rock’s sympathetic cameo as the Novice’s Friend; he’s surely a Billy in the making. The gentlemen of the Glyndebourne Chorus sang with vital energy.
Mark Padmore (Captain Vere) and Jacques Imbrailo (Billy Budd)
© Richard Hubert Smith
Below decks, Andrew Davis and the London Philharmonic Orchestra were in bracing form, Davis propelling the action forward with a tremendous sweep. Woodwind solos, noticeably the piccolo in ‘Billy in the Darbies’, were delivered with pinpoint accuracy, and the fervour delivered in the ‘This is our moment’ attack was almost visceral.
Along with the very special Peter Grimes at Aldeburgh, this has to be one of the highlights of the Britten centenary. If you can’t get to one of the three remaining performances at Glyndebourne, then catch it in concert at the Proms on Tuesday 27th August. Handsomely done indeed.Sir
This review originally appeared on Opera Britannia