Guide to Operas by the Sea

HMS Pinafore is a comic opera by Gilbert & Sullivan that is set on board a Royal Navy ship of the same name.

The humour, in typical Gilbert &  Sullivan fashion, stems from poking fun at the Navy and those who may be promoted to positions they aren’t exactly qualified for. But, you don’t have to know all the ins and outs of Naval ranks to understand the jokes, as they use Naval titles to represent the British class system…

The ship (HMS Pinafore) acts almost as a microcosm of society. The Captain as the head of the ship represents the highest class. This favourable status is then passed to his daughter who he expects to marry someone of equal status like Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. Unfortunately, the heart doesn’t understand the British class system and she falls for a sailor – the lowest class on the ship. So commences a series of absurd plot twists all building to a hilarious ending.

The nautical theme extends beyond the plot of HMS Pinafore, to Gilbert and Sullivan songs themselves. ‘We Sail the Ocean Blue’ is one of the most well known HMS Pinafore songs. It is the first aria within Act 1 and is sung by the chorus of sailors who outline their naval duties. It even features nautical slang like ‘Ahoy! Ahoy!’

Based on the short novel by Herman Melville, Billy Budd is set on board the HMS Indomitable. It follows the tale of Billy Budd, a sailor who quickly rose in ranks thanks to his kindness that made him popular amongst the crew.

However, his good nature begins to infuriate the Master at Arms, John Claggart, who once sang Billy’s praises. This hatred continues to build until Claggart frames Billy for orchestrating a mutiny. Understandably confused, Billy reacts angrily, which has disastrous consequences.

Britten takes the theme of the sea beyond the story of Billy Budd. He includes it within the composition itself through the use of sea shanties – traditional folk songs often sung by those who worked on boats. Using the male chorus in a more dramatic fashion than Britten has attempted before, the score reflects the oral tradition of fishermen and sailors singing folktales.

One of the most powerful beginnings to any opera, Wagner’s ‘Flying Dutchman Overture’ is said to represent the high tides and crashing of the waves, transporting the audience immediately to the rough sea. This overture is an example of the infamous Wagnerian leitmotif, starting with the ocean motif before building to the Dutchman motif itself.

It follows the story of a cursed ship and Captain who are doomed to sail the seas forever – reminiscent of the types of myths and legends real sailors would share with one another. This curse is then broken by the power of love, as Senta throws herself into the sea as the ultimate act of passion. A tale of romance, redemption and sacrifice, The Flying Dutchman is one of the best Wagner operas for those new to his work.

Another one of Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic operas has a nautical theme.

Set in a harbour, Pirates of Penzance follows the humorous love life of pirate’s apprentice, Fredic. Set to leave his apprenticeship on his 21st birthday, Fredic discovers he was born on the 29th February, meaning he technically must serve for another 63 years. This lends the opera it’s other name, The Slave of Duty. Thankfully, love always prevails and Fredic’s sweetheart agrees to wait for him to ‘come of age’.

Pirates of Penzance features one of the most famous opera songs in the repertoire, ‘The Modern Major General’. This patter song satirises what it means to be a Naval officer, with Major General Stanley not being afraid to admit his shortcomings. It is widely thought that this character was based on a real life general, Sir Garnet Wolseley, who helped shape Gilbert and Sullivan’s idea of an officer at sea.

Britten’s Peter Grimes is set in a little fishing village similar to his own home in a small coastal town in Suffolk. The sea is often a place full of mystery, but also danger, where it has been known for sailors or whole ships to go missing without explanation, making it the perfect setting for Britten’s opera…

Peter Grimes depicts how quickly vicious gossip can spread across a small community. The villagers become obsessed with talking about Peter Grimes’ apprentice who died at sea. Although cleared of having any involvement, Grimes’ name is quickly tarnished, as the townspeople’s mistrust towards him grows.

It features a renowned composition known as the ‘Four Sea Interludes’. It is through these orchestral pieces that the audience is transported to the sea and back to shore, as Britten cleverly uses music as an indicator of a scene change.

There we have it. The sea has long been a setting for folktales, myths and legends. It’s turbulent and mysterious nature lends itself nicely to stories and dramas. Whether that’s about a sailor missing at sea, naval infighting or a cursed ship, one thing that is for sure, the sea makes for a pretty epic opera.