A splendidly masculine Billy Budd at Glyndebourne

It's always special going to a first night - well in this case first afternoon performance of the new production of Billy Budd at Glyndebourne. John Mark Ainsley as Captain Vere was centre stage and spot-lit at the opening - accompanied by a beautiful yet ethereal sound from the pit. After the prologue the set transformed with the ship deck emerging from rear-stage. This set, designed by Christopher Oram, remained on stage throughout - and many nautical devices (ropes, rigs, etc.) were used by the singers and actors to convey a sense of action-on-deck.

Jacques Imbrailo, as Billy Budd, had the quintessential innocent and youthful quality. Master-of-Arms Clggart was sung by Phillip Ens who gave it plenty of vindictiveness: shades of Iago emerged during his monologue towards the end of Act 1. The Glyndebourne chorus was splendidly masculine.
Michael Grandage, making his operatic debut, did the job well - the acting and movements were great. The lighting, by Paule Constable, was good too given the relatively complex stage set. Sir Mark Elder together with the London Philharmonic Orchestra delivered
fantastic team work even with this difficult Britten score - and the
woodwinds and brass were particularly brilliant.

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