The London Philharmonic Orchestra and Glyndebourne Opera brought their 2010 production of Billy Budd to the Brooklyn Academy of Music. I had it in my mind that the performances were in March, so Thursday the 13th would have lined up perfectly with a trip I was already taking to New York on 3/14-3/15. Imagine my surprise when I printed the ticket and saw FEBRUARY 13th! Non-refundable. Final performance. The choice was either eat it or go.
The action, based on a short story by Herman Melville, takes place on a British ship during the Napoleonic wars. I saw a DVD of the 2010 production with two of the same cast members, Jacques Imbrailo in the title role and Jeremy White as his old shipmate Dansker. Last night’s live performance surpassed the DVD in visceral impact. The original Captain Vere was a very good tenor singing a sympathetic role, but Mark Padmore delved into the character’s inner turmoil. A sharp, final intake of breath planted a seed of doubt in his self-absolution of events from the summer of 1797.
The original Claggart played the snarling villain, but Brindley Sherrat showed several psychological layers of the sadistic master-at-arms. He was thoroughly booed at the end. Every one of the fifty or so men on stage gave an equally committed performance, from warrant officer down to able seaman.
Was it worth it? Absolutely YES!
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