Billy Budd

resource center

fr en

action

Do you notice a mistake?

general information

composition date: 1951
revisition date: 1960
duration: 2h 42 min
editor: Boosey & Hawkes
Opus: 50
Commission: 'The Arts Council of Great Britain for The Festival of Britain, 1951'
Libretto (details, author): E M Forster et Eric Crozier, d’après Herman Melville

type

Vocal music and instrument(s) (3 solo voices or more, choir(s) and orchestra)

detailed formation

Soloist: 5 solo tenors [dont un rôle principal], 8 solo baritones [dont un rôle principal], solo bass-baritone, 3 solo bass voices [dont un rôle principal], 4 soprano children voices, child narrator, actor [enfant]

4 flutes (also 3 piccolos), 2 oboes, English horn, 3 clarinets (also Eb clarinet, 2 bass clarinets), 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, alto saxophone, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, 6 percussionists [4], timpani, harp

information about the creation

date: December 1, 1951
: Version originale en 4 actes, Londres, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
interpreters: Royal Opera Covent Garden, direction : Benjamin Britten ; Basil Coleman, mise en scène.

: Révision de 1960 en 2 actes

observations

Enregistrement : Thomas Hampson, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Eric Halfvarson, Northern Voices, Halle Orchestra, direction : Kent Nagano, Erato 3984-21631-.

similar works

Same type

Created the same year

Composed the same year

Same detailed formation

This entry is encyclopaedic in nature and does not reflect the collections of the Ircam media library. Please refer to the "scores" entries.

Do you notice a mistake?

IRCAM

1, place Igor-Stravinsky
75004 Paris
+33 1 44 78 48 43

opening times

Monday through Friday 9:30am-7pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday

subway access

Hôtel de Ville, Rambuteau, Châtelet, Les Halles

Institut de Recherche et de Coordination Acoustique/Musique