A review of Benjamin Britten's opera Billy Budd

Benjamin Britten is one of the most important composers of the 20th century opera World. Although each of Britten's operas is considered important in its own way, the most important feature that distinguishes Billy Budd from others is that it is an opera composed entirely with male voices. This opera, adapted from Herman Melville's novella Billy Budd, is considered a masterpiece with its plot and music. This study includes a general review of Britten's opera Billy Budd. In the research, firstly, the social and political situation of England in World War II was discussed. At the same time, the changes in the field of music in England during the war were examined. In the following sections, the history of homosexuality in England is mentioned, assuming that Britten's works and his homosexual nature influenced each other. Sexual themes in Britten's operas, especially in Billy Budd, have been researched and analyzed. As a result of the research, the analysis was completed by analyzing the characters Billy, Claggart and Vere in the opera Billy Budd. This study involves Britten's musical life, how much the war affected him, and the creation process of the opera Billy Budd. The aim of the research is to understand what kind of process the Billy Budd opera went through in 20th century England.