Gay Composer Celebrated Worldwide

[Guest fountainhall]

Just something that might be of interest.

 

During most of his lifetime, people in high office preferred to ignore the British composer, Benjamin Britten. Perhaps because he was a pacifist who chose to see out the early years of the Second World War in America. Perhaps because he was known to be gay in a time when this was against the law of England. He met his life partner in 1937 when he was 24.

 

And then there were the strong gay undercurrents in his operas. Two of his most famous are “Peter Grimes” and “Billy Budd”. The former is set in a claustrophobic English seaside village where the gossip in the pub often turns to the unmarried fisherman, a loner named Peter Grimes, and the recent drowning of his young boy apprentice. When a new apprentice also dies, the villagers advise Grimes to take his ship out to sea and sink it. The following morning comes news from the coastguard that a boat has sunk. No-one pays attention. Life in the village has returned to normal.

 

Many felt this was not a subject ideal for the celebrations in 1945 post-war Britain. Nor were the gay undertones in the later work “Billy Budd”, adapted from the original Herman Melville story by the gay novelist, E. M. Forster. The handsome young Billy awakens destructive forces in the depraved Master-at-Arms, Claggart, who harasses and bullies him.  Sings Claggart, “O beauty. O handsomeness. Goodness! Would that I had never seen you! Having seen you, what choice remains to me? None, none! I’m doomed to annihilate you.”

 

Falsely accused of mutiny by Claggart, Billy can only stammer in rage. Unable to speak, he strikes out and kills him. For this he has to be sentenced and hanged.

 

These two powerful works have gone on to take their place amongst the acknowledged masterpieces of 20th century opera. The British Establishment did finally acknowldge Britten. In July 1976, he was honoured with a seat in the House of Lords. In frail health, though, he died that December at the age of 63.

 

2013 marks the 100th anniversary of Britten’s birth, an event that is being celebrated around the world.

[Rogie]

Good post.

 

I am no opera buff, although I used to enjoy going. I saw Billy Budd at the English National Opera (ENO) in the late 80's.