Entanglements : Sara Berman on Bill Budd

Interesting exhibition at Glyndebourne Opera House of work by contemporary artist Sara Berman responding to their new production of "Billy Budd".

Berman is a former fashion designer, now painter, who was given access to the costume department over the past year, and it draws from the costumes and elements of the set. The show consists of large-scale paintings and smaller drawings both of her in some of the costumes and others of tangled rope. Evidently the latter explore themes of vulnerability in the opera.

The work also included some text based pieces Berman made when she was housebound  following major surgery in the Autumn where she used a child’s printing set to stamp build abstract works made up of words from the libretto.

I loved the images which looked good in the space. I have yet to see the opera so may reassess the work after I've seen it but for now it served as a good trailer for it and I am looking forward to seeing it in a few weeks.

Closes 30 August 2026


Stop Press : I have now seen the opera and I think it was the best piece I have seen at Glyndebourne this season. The works were a good representation of the opera.

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