D.H. Lawrence hailed Herman Melville's novella, Billy Budd, a masterpiece when it was first published in 1924. Then, in 1951, came Britten's opera, adapted from the book. The writers Philip Hoare and Jamila Gavin join Rana Mitter to explore the book's themes of good and evil, justice and the law and the actor Peter Marinker will be on hand to illustrate their remarks with readings from the book. Recorded in front of an audience at the Royal College of Music as part of this year's Proms Plus events.
