Aldeburgh Festival - Aldeburgh | 23 April 2021 |

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Performance reviews
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I C O NAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 1 | ![]() |
Soprano Liselot De Wilde gave an incredible performance as our icon |
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Das JagdgewehrAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 5 | ![]() |
Larcher’s score bristles with timbral curiosities |
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Pretentious and frustrating |
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Luminous vocals and intense drama |
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Larcher’s music expresses the bleaker aspects of intense introspection and self-knowledge |
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This new opera by Thomas Larcher has a rare beauty and addictive charm |
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Billy BuddAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 4 | ![]() |
The destruction of an innocent young sailor |
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A heart-stopping Billy Budd |
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A production of Britten’s opera that bent over backwards to serve the music |
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Opera North sails in to the Aldeburgh Festival with a buoyant revival of Billy Budd |
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A Midsummer Night's DreamAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 9 | ![]() |
Der Klang des Anderen |
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A Concert Hall celebration |
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There may be fairies aplenty here, but there’s little enchantment |
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A silvery Dream lost among the shadows |
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Into the Wood: A Midsummer Night's Dream at Snape Maltings |
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Though the movement direction is often awkward, Netia Jones has found a visual language in tune with Britten’s music |
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The star of the show is Netia Jones's elaborate video projection |
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Britten's irresistible Shakespeare opera opens the 70th Aldeburgh Festival |
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Plenty of glorious singing to open the 2017 Aldeburgh Festival |
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The CureAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 8 | ![]() |
Aldeburgh bows to Boulez and Birtwistle |
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Two outstanding chamber operas By Birtwistle |
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Admirably direct but doesn't quite cohere |
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Desire, deception, and death |
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Birtwistle's opera makes chilly debut |
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Birtwistle unveils lyrical sequel to Orpheus story |
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A potent double bill of chamber operas by Harrison Birtwistle |
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Serious stuff |
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The CorridorAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 8 | ![]() |
Aldeburgh bows to Boulez and Birtwistle |
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Two outstanding chamber operas By Birtwistle |
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Admirably direct but doesn't quite cohere |
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more reviews [+]
Desire, deception, and death |
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Birtwistle's opera makes chilly debut |
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Birtwistle unveils lyrical sequel to Orpheus story |
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A potent double bill of chamber operas by Harrison Birtwistle |
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Serious stuff |
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associated articles [+]
Harrison Birtwistle, Medea and me
Birtwistle and David Harsent have written a companion piece to their opera The Corridor. Ahead of its Aldeburgh premier, the librettist explains how Middle English poetry led them back to Ancient Greece.
Birtwistle and David Harsent have written a companion piece to their opera The Corridor. Ahead of its Aldeburgh premier, the librettist explains how Middle English poetry led them back to Ancient Greece.
Owen WingraveAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 8 | ![]() |
Macabre ambiguity in Aldeburgh’s Owen Wingrave |
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The drama of Britten's pacifist opera is still uncertain |
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Brilliant pianism |
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In this first world war centenary year, Britten’s pacifist opera was an appropriate centrepiece |
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Britten's opera of conscientious objection is the headline offering at this year's Aldeburgh Festival |
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A mixed evening, offering an often impressive interpretation of a flawed work |
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An ideal cast fused as one with the young Britten-Pears Orchestra |
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Neil Bartlett's production takes the wrong approach to this Cinderella among Britten's operas |
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associated articles [+]
Owen Wingrave: A private peace
Benjamin Britten's 'pacifist' opera was written while war was at the forefront of people's minds. In this year of centenaries, director Neil Bartlett explains why the time is right for a revival.
Benjamin Britten's 'pacifist' opera was written while war was at the forefront of people's minds. In this year of centenaries, director Neil Bartlett explains why the time is right for a revival.
Peter GrimesAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 18 | ![]() |
Returning Britten's dark social parable Peter Grimes to the sea |
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Grimes contra viento y marea |
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Staging of 'Peter Grimes' on the beach pays tribute to Britten at 100 |
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Vom Winde unterstützt |
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This Grimes on the Beach was a great experience-- an operatic happening |
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Peter Grimes came home to its birthplace in an exhilarating performance |
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Grimes on the Beach - The chilling case of the bodies in the wave |
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A once-in-a-lifetime event to celebrate the centenary of its founder Benjamin Britten |
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An unforgettable experience for those lucky enough to be present |
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A remarkable, unrepeatable achievement |
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A triumph against the odds |
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Britten's greatest opera gets a staging to remember |
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An extraordinary spectacle at the water's edge |
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What a start to the Britten centenary Festival |
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Alan Oke triumphed as Grimes |
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Alan Oke gave Grimes an arresting inwardness |
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The focus was intimately on Grimes himself |
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Steuart Bedford conducted with compelling and absolute authority |
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associated articles [+]
What an opera-tunity!
Standing ovation for first ever beach production of opera inspired by Suffolk fishing community.
Standing ovation for first ever beach production of opera inspired by Suffolk fishing community.
Peter Grimes on the beach? Shiver me tenors!
Freezing temperatures, mighty winds, shifting sands … can this attempt to stage Britten's great opera Peter Grimes on a Suffolk beach possibly succeed?
Freezing temperatures, mighty winds, shifting sands … can this attempt to stage Britten's great opera Peter Grimes on a Suffolk beach possibly succeed?
Nothing beats Benjamin Britten on a moonlit beach
The 100th anniversary of the composer's birth will see Peter Grimes performed as it should be.
The 100th anniversary of the composer's birth will see Peter Grimes performed as it should be.
Oke stands tall for the best of Britten
The tenor takes centre stage as ‘Peter Grimes’ returns to Aldeburgh.
The tenor takes centre stage as ‘Peter Grimes’ returns to Aldeburgh.
The Burning Fiery FurnaceAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 4 | ![]() |
Superb Britten parable tryptych at Aldeburgh Festival |
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Intermittently rewarding |
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Another mesmerising Britten production in Suffolk for the composer's centenary |
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more reviews [+]
Some of Britten’s finest music is brought back into circulation |
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Paul BunyanAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 4 | ![]() |
Superb Britten parable tryptych at Aldeburgh Festival |
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Intermittently rewarding |
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Another mesmerising Britten production in Suffolk for the composer's centenary |
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more reviews [+]
Some of Britten’s finest music is brought back into circulation |
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Curlew RiverAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 5 | ![]() |
Superb Britten parable tryptych at Aldeburgh Festival |
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Intermittently rewarding |
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Another mesmerising Britten production in Suffolk for the composer's centenary |
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more reviews [+]
Curlew River lacks quiet wonder and mystery |
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Some of Britten’s finest music is brought back into circulation |
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Where the Wild Things AreAldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 6 | ![]() |
Maurice Sendak double bill |
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The music-making throughout is of the highest quality |
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Too sophisticated for children? |
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more reviews [+]
Knussen’s highly-coloured sound-world is an invigorating place to be |
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Inspired operatic takes on Maurice Sendak |
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Perfectly judged |
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Higglety Pigglety Pop!Aldeburgh FestivalNo. of reviews: 6 | ![]() |
Maurice Sendak double bill |
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The music-making throughout is of the highest quality |
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Too sophisticated for children? |
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more reviews [+]
Knussen’s highly-coloured sound-world is an invigorating place to be |
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Inspired operatic takes on Maurice Sendak |
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Perfectly judged |
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News & Articles
Aldeburgh Festival to stream iconic production of ‘Peter Grimes’ |
The Aldeburgh Festival is set to present a 2013 production of “Peter Grimes” on BBC iPlayer. The production, which was directed by Tim Albery was notable for setting the opera on a beach by the North Sea. |
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Harrison Birtwistle, Medea and me |
Birtwistle and David Harsent have written a companion piece to their opera The Corridor. Ahead of its Aldeburgh premier, the librettist explains how Middle English poetry led them back to Ancient Greece. |
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‘Music should be a natural part of everyday life’ |
Roger Wright, the chief executive of the Aldeburgh festival on Britten, Birtwistle and leaving Radio 3. |
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What an opera-tunity! |
Standing ovation for first ever beach production of opera inspired by Suffolk fishing community. |
![]() |
Peter Grimes on the beach? Shiver me tenors! |
Freezing temperatures, mighty winds, shifting sands … can this attempt to stage Britten's great opera Peter Grimes on a Suffolk beach possibly succeed? |
![]() |