Over the years, many authors have set out to write the Great American Novel. How many have succeeded is a matter for debate. But one novelist who certainly had the credentials was Herman Melville, author of what some might consider THE Great American Novel, Moby-Dick.

Melville's work suffered from decreasing popularity while he was alive, and after his death in 1891 his work was largely forgotten for more than 30 years. But in the 1920's there was a Melville revival, spurred on, at least in part, by the appearance of a short novel that was left unpublished when Melville died, a work called Billy Budd, Sailor.

By now, of course, Melville is considered a literary titan. His works have been analyzed for their contribution to all manner of literary trends -- including existentialism and absurdism -- and for their forward-looking examination of still-touchy social issues, including race-relations, gender identification and sexuality. Yet, despite the complexity of Melville's works -- in both their content and their style -- he was also a great story teller. To see that -- and hear it -- we need look no further than this week's opera.

In 1960, Benjamin Britten took Melville's Billy Budd and turned it into a remarkable drama that exploits all the different and contrasting aspects of Melville's orginal. It's a seagoing struggle between good and evil; a moody swashbuckler with a rousing story, and thrilling action scenes; and a complex psychodrama exploring nearly every aspect of human relationships -- in ways that are both richly rewarding and deeply troubling.

This week, you can hear Britten's masterpiece in an extraordinary production by the Washington National Opera, featuring a spellbinding performance by bass Samuel Ramey as the evil Claggart; tenor Robin Leggate's stirring portrayal of the tormented ship's captain, torn between what he knows is right, and what duty forces him to do; and a moving portrait of the charismatic but doomed title character, played by baritone Dwayne Croft.