Billy Budd (opera) percussion (six players [xylophone, glockenspiel, triangle, block, tambourine, side drum, tenor drum, bass drum, whip, cymbals, small gong, 4 drums (played by drummers on stage)]), harp, strings. Prologue "Scene 1: Main deck and quarter-deck of "HMS Indomitable" " "Scene 2: Address" Act 2 "Scene 1: Captain Vere's cabin" "Scene 2: Berth-deck" Act 3 "Scene 1: Main deck and quarter-deck" "Scene 2: Captain Vere's cabin" Act 4 "Scene 1: Bay of the upper gun-deck" "Scene 2: Main deck and quarter-deck" Epilogue Captain Edward Fairfax Vere, an old man, reflects on his life and his time in the navy. He reflects on
HMS Indomitable (92) of Admiral Sir James Somerville. "Indomitable", and her sister ship were the only modern aircraft carriers of the Fleet, and were a vital asset to the Allies in the Far East; the only other carrier, , was obsolete. In April 1942 Somerville attempted to intercept the Japanese carrier strike force as they raided the Indian Ocean. Incomplete intelligence led him to abandon his ambush just hours before the Japanese force arrived. Over the next few days "Indomitable" was part of a force that attempted to intercept the Japanese fleet at night, where the slow but radar equipped, British torpedo planes