Immerse yourself in the powerful and dramatic world of Benjamin Britten's "Billy Budd," a timeless opera that masterfully blends classical and neoclassical elements with choral and requiem undertones. Released on September 12, 2008, under the Warner Classics label, this album spans an impressive 2 hours and 45 minutes, offering a rich and immersive experience for any classical music enthusiast.
Benjamin Britten's "Billy Budd" is based on Herman Melville's novella of the same name, and it tells the gripping story of the young sailor Billy Budd, whose innocence and kindness clash with the malevolence of the ship's master-at-arms, John Claggart. The opera is a profound exploration of good and evil, duty and morality, and the tragic consequences of misunderstanding and miscommunication.
The album features a stellar cast of vocalists and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Hickox, delivering a performance that is both powerful and nuanced. The choral work is particularly noteworthy, with the London Symphony Chorus adding depth and drama to the narrative.
From the haunting prologue "I Am an Old Man" to the poignant epilogue "We Committed his Body to the Deep," the opera is a journey through the human condition, filled with moments of tension, tragedy, and unexpected beauty. Britten's score is a masterclass in orchestration, with each instrument playing a crucial role in bringing the story to life.
Whether you are a seasoned opera lover or new to the genre, "Billy Budd" is an album that will captivate and move you. It's a testament to Britten's genius and a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of music and storytelling.
Tracks
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Prologue: "I Am an Old Man" (Vere)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "Pull, My Bantams!" (First Mate, Sailors, Second Mate, Flint, Bosun, Midshipmen, Donald, Novice, Maintop, Squeak)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Adam Green, Andrew Kennedy, Andrew Tortise, Daniel Teadt, Darren Jeffery, Jonathan Lemalu, London Symphony Chorus, Mark Stone, St Luke's Youth Choir, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "Boat Ahoy" (Maintop, Midshipmen, Flint, Redburn, Bosun, Ratcliffe, Claggart)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Andrew Staples, Gidon Saks, Jonathan Lemalu, Mark Stone, Matthew Rose, Neal Davies, St Luke's Youth Choir, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "First Man Forward! (Claggart, Red Whiskers, Redburn, Flint, Jones)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Alasdair Elliott, Gidon Saks, Jonathan Lemalu, Neal Davies, Roderick Williams, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "Your Name? Billy Budd, Sir" (Claggart, Billy, Redburn, Flint)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Gidon Saks, Jonathan Lemalu, Nathan Gunn, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "Billy Budd, King of the Birds!" (Billy, Sailors, Flint, Redburn, Ratcliffe, Claggart)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Gidon Saks, Jonathan Lemalu, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Rose, Nathan Gunn, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "I Heard Your Honour!" (Claggart, Squeak, Novice's Friend)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Andrew Tortise, Gidon Saks, Roderick Williams, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "Come Along Kid! Come Along!" (Novice's Friend, Novice, Sailors)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Andrew Kennedy, London Symphony Chorus, Roderick Williams, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "Christ! The Poor Chap" (Billy, Dansker, Red Whiskers, Donald)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Alasdair Elliott, Daniel Teadt, Matthew Best, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "What's That? What's Those Whistles?" (Billy, Donald, Claggart, First Mate, Second Mate, Bosun)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Adam Green, Daniel Teadt, Darren Jeffery, Gidon Saks, Mark Stone, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 1: "Starry Vere We Call Him" (Donald, Billy, Sailors, Red Whiskers, Dansker, Bosun)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Alasdair Elliott, Daniel Teadt, London Symphony Chorus, Mark Stone, Matthew Best, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 2: "Boy! Yes Sir!" (Vere, Boy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Hugo Shepherd, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 2: "Mr Redburn and Mr Flint, Sir!" (Boy, Vere, Redburn, Flint)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Hugo Shepherd, Ian Bostridge, Jonathan Lemalu, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 2: "Ay, at Spithead the Men May Have Had Their Grievances" (Vere)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 2: "We Are, Sir, Claggart Is an Able One" (Redburn, Vere, Flint, Sailors, Ratcliffe)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, Jonathan Lemalu, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Rose, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 3: "Blow Her Away, Blow Her to Hilo" (Red Whiskers, Sailors, Billy, Donald, Dansker)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Alasdair Elliott, Daniel Teadt, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Best, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 3: "Here, Lads! Here! Come Here!" (Donald, Red Whiskers, Sailors, Billy, Dansker)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Alasdair Elliott, Daniel Teadt, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Best, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 3: "Hi! You" (Billy, Dansker, Red Whiskers, Donald, Sailors, Squeak, Claggart, Boy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Alasdair Elliott, Andrew Tortise, Daniel Teadt, Gidon Saks, Hugo Shepherd, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Best, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 3: "Over the Water, over the Ocean" (Sailors, Claggart)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Gidon Saks, London Symphony Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 3: "Come Here, Remember Your Promise" (Claggart, Novice)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Andrew Kennedy, Gidon Saks, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 3: "Billy! Hist! Billy Budd!" (Novice, Billy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Andrew Kennedy, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 1, Scene 3: "Dansker, Old Friend, Glad to See You!" (Billy, Dansker)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Matthew Best, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 1: "I Don't Like the Look of the Mist" (Vere, Redburn)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 1: "Well, What Is It, Master-at-Arms? " (Vere, Claggart)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Gidon Saks, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 1: "Deck Ahoy! Enemy Sail on Starboard Bow!" (Maintop, Bosun, Flint, Redburn, Ratcliffe, Sailors, Vere)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Andrew Staples, Ian Bostridge, Jonathan Lemalu, London Symphony Chorus, Mark Stone, Matthew Rose, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 1: "Volunteers! Call for Boarding Volunteers!" (Vere, Redburn, Donald, Red Whiskers, Dansker, Sailors, Billy, Maintop, Ratcliffe)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Alasdair Elliott, Andrew Staples, Daniel Teadt, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Best, Matthew Rose, Nathan Gunn, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 1: "There You Are Again, Master-at-Arms" (Vere, Claggart, Boy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Gidon Saks, Hugo Shepherd, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 1: "O This Cursed Mist" (Vere, Redburn, Ratcliffe, Flint)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, Jonathan Lemalu, Matthew Rose, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 2: "Claggart, John Claggart, Beware!" (Vere, Billy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 2: "Master-at-Arms and Foretopman" (Vere, Claggart, Billy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Gidon Saks, Ian Bostridge, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 2: "God o' Mercy!" (Vere, Boy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Hugo Shepherd, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 2: "Gentlemen, William Budd Here Has Killed" (Vere, Redburn, Flint, Ratcliffe)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, Jonathan Lemalu, Matthew Rose, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 2: "William Budd, You Are Accused" (Redburn, Vere, Billy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, Nathan Gunn, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 2: "Poor Fellow, Who Could Save Him?" (Redburn, Flint, Ratcliffe, Vere)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, Jonathan Lemalu, Matthew Rose, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 2: "I Accept Their Verdict" (Vere)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 3: "Look! Through the Port Comes the Moonshine Astray!" (Billy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 3: "Here! Baby!" (Dansker, Billy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Matthew Best, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 3: "And Farewell to Ye, Old Rights o' Man!" (Billy)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Nathan Gunn, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 3: InterludeBenjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 4: "According to the Articles of War" (Redburn, Billy, Flint, Ratcliffe, Sailors)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Jonathan Lemalu, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Rose, Nathan Gunn, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Act 2, Scene 4: "Down All Hands!" (Redburn, Flint, Ratcliffe, a Sailor)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Jonathan Lemalu, London Symphony Chorus, Matthew Rose, Neal Davies, London Symphony Orchestra
Britten: Billy Budd, Op. 50, Epilogue: "We Committed his Body to the Deep" (Vere)Benjamin Britten, Daniel Harding, Ian Bostridge, London Symphony Orchestra
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