There’s a young cabin boy in Los Angeles Opera’s revival of Benjamin Britten’s sea-saga, “Billy Budd,” (which opened Saturday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion) who has only a few lines of spoken dialog— mostly “Yes, Sir. No, Sir.” But the fact that the role is played by Rory Hemmings speaks volumes about the company and the production.
Rory Hemmings is the grandson of Peter Hemmings, the founding director of Los Angeles Opera. And during his tenure at the helm of the company (from 1986-2000) the late Peter Hemmings considered it a personal mandate to promote the operas of his countryman, Benjamin Britten. “Billy Budd” was first presented in Los Angeles in June, 2000, and it was Hemmings’ final production before he retired and returned to England.
The 2000 production, directed by Francesca Zambello, featured a rising star, a local man named Rodney Gilfry, as Billy Budd. Gilfry had been nurtured by Los Angeles Opera and emerged out of its resident artist program. He was young, exceedingly handsome and strong of voice; on stage, he captured perfectly the strange charismatic aura of the martyred hero in Herman Melville’s novella.
“Billy Budd” the opera (which had its premiere in 1951) has lost none of its emotional and musical intensity. But the current revival, redirected by Julia Pevzner and starring baritone Liam Bonner as Billy, falls short of achieving the dramatic pinnacle the opera is capable of, and the production is definitely looking its age.
The musical performance led by James Conlon, however, is exceedingly powerful, diverse in its orchestral coloration and dramatically evocative. The large all-male cast produces rolling waves of song, while the orchestra intones a succession of atmospheric seascapes worthy of the paintings of the master artist, J.M.W. Turner.
The set and costume design by Alison Chitty (unchanged since 2000) feels more than a bit creaky and old-fashioned. But in its best moments, in Act 2, it still presents some impressive stage pictures as the main platform rises up to reveal the full scope of a British Man ‘o War at sea. Unfortunately, Chitty’s design also employs heavy-handed use of Christian symbolism depicting Billy, Christ-like and crucified, upon the mast.
In its promotional advertising for “Billy Budd,” LA Opera has been going out of its way to sell the opera as, “Sexual desire gone evil!” That is more than a bit misleading and cheapening, especially since sexual desire does not manifest itself in any tangible (let alone erotic) way in the production, though you could make a case that it’s there, smoldering below the surface.
It is true, without question, that Benjamin Britten had serious issues regarding his homosexuality and attraction to beautiful young boys. It’s a theme that weaves its way through many of his operas, from the notorious child abuser, Peter Grimes, to the ghost valet, Peter Quint (in “The Turn of the Screw”), and the child-obsessed Gustav von Aschenbach, in “Death in Venice.” Even the Fairy King, Oberon’s feverish desire to possess the beautiful Changeling in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” has a perverse tinge to it.
Melville’s “Billy Budd” is a story of multiple layers: emotional, ethical, political, philosophical and historical— all of which emerge in the opera through the poetically phrased libretto by E.M. Forester and are referenced in the instrumental coloration of Britten’s score.
At the forefront of the drama is the conflict between angelic good, personified by Billy, and demonic evil, personified by the ship’s Master-at-arms, John Claggart, sung by Greer Grimsley. In an aria/soliloquy worthy of Iago, Claggart declares his hatred of innocence and good, and the need he feels to destroy anyone that possesses those qualities. Hence, Billy must be destroyed.
Unfortunately, Pevzner’s direction does not allow this central confrontation to attain critical mass. Bonner, though strong of voice, comes across as more a good fellow than a charismatic innocent, while Grimsley’s rigid performance projects menace without nuance.
Though Billy Budd is the title character, the man at the center of storm is the Captain of H.M.S. Indomitable, Edward Fairfax Vere. Sung superbly by Richard Croft, “Starry Vere” (as the men call him) is a man of intellect and duty plagued by recent events that have shaken the Royal Navy to its timbers: the 1797 mutinies at Spithead and Nore.
Vere is attracted to Billy both for his good-natured honesty and the positive effect he has on the downtrodden crew. He is also well aware of Claggart’s cruel, sinister nature. Ultimately, he finds himself caught in the middle when Claggart tires to frame Billy as a mutineer. The results turn tragic when Billy is incapable of defending himself in words (he suffers from a severe stammer) and strikes Claggart (his superior officer) dead, a crime punishable by death.
In L.A. Opera’s large cast of sailors and officers, Anthony Michaels-Moore sings the role of Mr. Redburn. Patrick Blackwell is Lieutenant Ratcliff. Greg Fedderly is Red Whiskers and James Cresswell plays the old Dansker.
“Billy Budd” is a powerful operatic experience. And even though this may not be the ultimate production, it is worthy in many ways and certainly provides an able-bodied ending to the 100th anniversary of Benjamin Britten’s birth.
Jim Farber is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer.
