Best Benjamin Britten Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. 120 Gounod's Roméo et Juliette 1:58:30

2h ago1:58:30

1:58:30

Of all the love stories ever told, none quite compare to the enduring power of Romeo and Juliet. Over four centuries ago, English playwright William Shakespeare crafted a timeless story harnessing both the powers of profound love and deep hatred, and his tale of “star-crossed lovers” has become an inspiration to countless artists. Two and a half ce…

1
Ep. 119 Zoraida di Granata by Donizetti 1:58:35

27d ago1:58:35

1:58:35

An unscrupulous king pressures a woman to marry him. She resists, knowing her heart belongs to the man who truly loves her, the chief general in the king’s army. Into this love-triangle, toss in a scheming underling of the king, a sympathetic maid of the woman, a devoted best friend of the general, and you have all the ingredients for a gripping st…

1
OFE Presents a Brief Conversation with KHOL's Executive Director 5:52

28d ago5:52

5:52

KHOL in Jackson WY is Opera for Everyone’s home radio station, and Wyoming’s only community radio station. If you have ever wanted to support Opera for Everyone, please consider supporting KHOL at 891KHOL.org/donate. June 15 marks the beginning of KHOL’s summer membership drive. Thank you everyone!By Opera for Everyone

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Ep. 118 A Midsummer Night's Dream by Benjamin Britten 1:58:33

2M ago1:58:33

1:58:33

“The course of true love never did run smooth.” Shakespeare’s iconic "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" gives us some of the Bard’s most memorable (and ridiculous) characters and situations. Benjamin Britten, together with his partner Peter Pears, so appreciated the merits of Shakespeare’s play that they faithfully adapted the script into a libretto for B…

1
From The Red House: Curlew River and Sumidagawa 20:52

2M ago20:52

20:52

The extracts from Britten’s letters and other writings are read by Dr Nicholas Clark, Librarian at Britten Pears Arts. The extracts from Curlew River are from the 1966 Decca recording directed by Britten and Viola Tunnard (with grateful thanks to Decca and Faber Music). The extracts from the English language performance of Sumida River were kindly …

1
Ep. 117 The Fairy Queen by Henry Purcell 1:58:38

3M ago1:58:38

1:58:38

Was it only a dream? Baroque composer Henry Purcell was on his way to establishing a national operatic tradition based on the dramatic and musical traditions of the English, when, alas, his life was cut short after just 36 years. Join us as we explore Purcell’s musically and emotionally rich “The Fairy Queen,” a delightful twist on the Bard’s “A Mi…

1
Ep. 116 Verdi's La Forza del Destino & Lisa Reagan's What We Need Is Here 2:05:58

5M ago2:05:58

2:05:58

Where passion joins with music and poetry we find opera. In this sweet spot, we also find What We Need Is Here, the most recent project by accomplished musician and singer, Lisa Reagan. Lisa joins us to talk about creating an album of songs for classic poems that have been meaningful to her life. Lisa Reagan spent twenty years singing with the Wash…

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Ep. 115 Berg's Lulu & Erica Miner's Prelude to Murder 1:58:32

6M ago1:58:32

1:58:32

Two things never go out of fashion: opera and mystery. In this episode, mystery writer and former opera violinist Erica Miner talks with us about her opera mystery series and Lulu, Berg’s high-body-count melodrama. Lulu, which features prominently in Erica’s new novel, centers on a beautiful young woman whose admirers descend into obsession. Join u…

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Ep. 114 Amahl and the Night Visitors 1:58:27

7M ago1:58:27

1:58:27

In Amahl and the Night Visitors, a young boy and his mother unexpectedly play host to the Magi on their way to meet the infant Jesus. Originally written for television, this opera uniquely bridges the ancient and modern in a heartfelt exploration of the meaning of hospitality. In the second half of this episode, we are joined by Grant to talk about…

1
Discovery Session: A Ceremony of Carols 33:19

8M ago33:19

33:19

The musical tracks in this podcast are all from A Ceremony of Carols. The recording is performed by the National Youth Girls Choir, with Vicky Lester on harp, conducted by Esther Jones. With grateful thanks to Delphian Records for allowing us to use extracts from this recording.By Miriam Keogh, Madeleine Holmes, Ben Vonberg-Clark, National Youth Girls Choir, Dr Lucy Walker

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Ep. 113 L’Italiana in Algeri by Rossini 1:58:13

8M ago1:58:13

1:58:13

By turns funny, serious, and seriously funny, L’Italiana in Algeri is a fascinating assembly of romantic tropes: a spurned wife, a shipwrecked lover, a pirate king, and a daring escape. At the same time, it deals with serious themes of agency, power, and silence. Set in a world that is both alien and familiar, this opera has something to say to all…

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Discovery Session: Friday Afternoons 33:35

9M ago33:35

33:35

Lucy is joined by two of this year's composers - Roderick Williams and Kerry Andrew - and by Sophia Allen, our Head of Community. Tune in to find out how the Friday Afternoons songs - past and present - have reached thousands of schoolchildren, and inspired creative artists of all kind.By Britten Pears Arts

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Ep. 112 The Egyptian Helen by Richard Strauss 2:09:00

10M ago2:09:00

2:09:00

“The face that launched a thousand ships.” Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in the world, has a problem. Her husband plans to kill her, but she just wants him to fall in love with her again. She may just need a miracle to pull it off, but if anyone can do it, she can. Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal aimed for a light and comic oper…

1
Discovery Session: English Song 28:20

10M ago28:20

28:20

In this month’s podcast we celebrate the fascinating subject of song and singing. We start with Benjamin Britten, and his lifelong attachment to song – inspired to explore it in multiple ways by his partner Peter Pears’ voice, by poetry, and by the occasion he was composing for. Following his example, Britten Pears Arts has song at the very centre …

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Ep. 111 Tosca by Giacomo Puccini 1:58:35

11M ago1:58:35

1:58:35

One of the top ten most-performed operas in the world, Puccini’s Tosca is considered by some the greatest of operas. A painter provides refuge for an escaped political prisoner, which begins a chain of events that starts with petty jealousy and ends in a death leap. Things spiral further and further out of control in this epic confrontation of tyra…

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Ep. 110 Das Liebesverbot by Wagner 2:04:06

1y ago2:04:06

2:04:06

Richard Wagner’s style is one of the most distinctive and recognizable in all of opera. But Wagner wasn’t always the Wagner we’ve come to know. The earliest of Wagner’s operas to be performed in his lifetime was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, Das Liebesverbot, where he is still developing his craft and working on his relationsh…

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Ep. 109 Die Frau Ohne Schatten by Richard Strauss 1:58:29

1y ago1:58:29

1:58:29

At once a sweeping story about humanity and a deeply personal look at a married couple with unfulfilled aspirations, Die Frau Ohne Schatten is often considered the magnum opus of the famed partnership between composer Richard Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal. Moving between lofty, other-worldly, and gritty settings, this opera simultane…

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Ep. 108 Lucrezia Borgia by Donizetti 2:00:34

1y ago2:00:34

2:00:34

One of history’s most infamous women, Lucrezia Borgia has inspired artists, dramatists, and TV show writers for centuries. Donizetti’s opera follows the play by Victor Hugo, telling of Lucrezia’s effort to find the kind of love that might change her life. However, it isn’t easy being a powerful woman in Renaissance Italy. Gaetano Donizetti, a proli…

1
Ep. 107 Macbeth by Verdi 1:58:34

1+ y ago1:58:34

1:58:34

“Double, double toil and trouble.” Composer Giuseppi Verdi enthusiastically declared that Shakespeare’s Macbeth “is one of the greatest creations of man!” Harnessing this passionate admiration, he went on to craft the first of his three completed operas based on Shakespeare plays. Verdi’s Macbeth is full of powerful choral pieces, arias from a roya…

1
Ep. 106 Giulio Cesare in Egitto by Handel 1:57:48

1+ y ago1:57:48

1:57:48

One of the world’s most formidable generals and one of history’s most beguiling politicians are joined by two frustrated young men and an irresistible widow in Handel’s Baroque masterpiece, Giulio Cesare in Egitto. Join Pat, Kathleen, and Grant for a journey through history, literature, and myth in exploring the influences and meaning of this endur…

1
The lives of William Byrd & Thomas Weelkes 29:42

1+ y ago29:42

29:42

In 2023 we mark the 400th anniversary of the deaths of two composers who wrote beautiful music, and who lived in extraordinary times. William Byrd (c.1540-1623) lived through a remarkably turbulent period of history, under no fewer than six monarchs. He wrote a huge amount of exquisite choral works, including Catholic masses which – depending who w…

1
Ep. 105 The Marriage of Figaro and Elly Uncomposed with Valerie Niemerg 1:59:02

1+ y ago1:59:02

1:59:02

One of the world’s most beloved operas, Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, is not only the focus of this episode, but also the inspiration for Elly Uncomposed: A Novel Opera, a magical realist novel by author and retired opera singer, Valerie Niemerg. Like the opera Figaro, some truly serious and important topics are addressed in Elly Uncomposed, but wit…

1
Ep. 104 Nabucco by Verdi 1:58:40

1+ y ago1:58:40

1:58:40

A people yearns for freedom. The power of their prayers, set to Verdi’s incomparable music, have stirred audiences ever since the première of Nabucco in 1842. The impact of this opera may relate to Verdi’s own struggle to overcome personal tragedies preceding the composition the music. It also resonates with the passions of the Italian people of hi…

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Ep. 46 Remastered: Handel’s Messiah OFE Holiday Special 1:58:31

1+ y ago1:58:31

1:58:31

Handel’s beloved Messiah, known for its thrilling Hallelujah Chorus, is a long-standing favorite during the Christmas season. Neither an opera, nor Christmas music, this English-language oratorio was composed for the Easter Season and premièred in Dublin in 1842. The magnificent text was crafted from the King James Bible by Handel’s friend, Charles…

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Ep. 103 OFE Presents Opera Mysteries with Erica Miner 1:58:51

1+ y ago1:58:51

1:58:51

Have you ever asked what might be going on backstage at an opera house? Or wondered about what secrets hide behind those glittering stages? Drawing on 21 years as a violinist in the Metropolitan Opera, Erica Miner guides her readers through a dramatized version of the opera world in her mystery novel, Aria for Murder, the first in the “Julia Kogan …

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Ep. 102 Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II 2:04:11

2y ago2:04:11

2:04:11

Glittering and gloriously tuneful, Die Fledermaus (“The Bat”) is the most enduring operetta of Vienna’s famous “Waltz King,” Johann Strauss II. Its plot features revenge, infidelity, disguised identities, and a glamorous ball at its center, given by a wealthy host who requires his guests to keep the party lively. Toasting “King Champagne,” the char…

1
Ep. 101 Un Ballo in Maschera by Verdi 1:58:22

2y ago1:58:22

1:58:22

Masks, both literal and figurative, abound in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, “A Masked Ball.” Conspirators feign support of a leader they despise. A noblewoman must veil both her face and her feelings from her husband. The governor must put on a disguise to understand his subjects, and his beloved. The governor’s chief councilor dons a mask to take …

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Ep. 100 Oedipus Rex and Persephone by Stravinsky 1:58:06

2y ago1:58:06

1:58:06

A beloved king becomes reviled by his family and his people as previously hidden dark deeds come to light. A young woman loses her innocence and freedom through the machinations of the lord of the underworld. The timeless ancient Greek stories of King Oedipus and Persephone captured the imagination of Igor Stravinsky, a composer unafraid to present…

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Ep. 99 Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria by Monteverdi 2:14:44

2y ago2:14:44

2:14:44

There is no secular story nearly so important to the Western tradition as the Odyssey, a timeless tale of heroism, achievement, and loss. The subject matter of this epic poem has found its way into many works of art, and likely the earliest opera adaptation was Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria, first performed in 1639 in the city of Venic…

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Ep. 98 La Donna del Lago by Rossini 1:58:41

2+ y ago1:58:41

1:58:41

We all know that feeling when we want to marry one rebel leader, but our father wants us to marry the chief rebel leader, but then one day a wandering king disguised as a huntsman starts chatting us up on the moors. With this timeless and relatable set-up (based on a poem by Sir Walter Scott that is credited with starting the Scottish Romantic move…

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Ep. 97 OFE Meets Maestro Joseph Rescigno, ft Ariadne auf Naxos by Strauss 1:58:57

2+ y ago1:58:57

1:58:57

Meet Maestro Joseph Rescigno–gentleman, author, and opera conductor extraordinaire. The Maestro joins OFE for this wide-ranging discussion of the how, what, and why of conducting opera. Drawing on material from his book, Conducting Opera: Where Theater Meets Music, and a lifetime of conducting opera around the world, Maestro Rescigno brings a uniqu…

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Ep. 96 The Cunning Little Vixen by Leoš Janáček 1:58:51

2+ y ago1:58:51

1:58:51

Leos Janacek’s opera about a clever little fox living in the worlds of both animals and humans has many of the charming and amusing elements expected of traditional children’s stories. However, don’t let this Cunning Little Vixen fool you. Her story, and the story of the forester who pursues her, are richly layered with issues that may glide over t…

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Ep. 95 Béatrice et Bénédict by Berlioz 1:58:41

2+ y ago1:58:41

1:58:41

Beatrice and Benedick often steal the show in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing with their sharp-tongued banter, and a romance that is as unlikely as it is inevitable. Composer Hector Berlioz was captivated by these characters, and turned their story into an operatic romantic comedy in his final completed opera, Béatrice et Bénédict. As the musi…

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Talking about Songs with Elise Caluwaerts 20:21

2+ y ago20:21

20:21

Tune in to the final podcast of Season 3 (recorded in June 2021) to hear about Alma Mahler's work, the potent combination of opera, film and fashion house (a link to the film Elise discusses can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhgwmZQVgJE), and the power of song to connect people in isolation. Plus, some beautiful tracks for the podca…

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Ep. 94 Opera For Everyone Meets United Arts Studies 1:58:59

2+ y ago1:58:59

1:58:59

What does Salvador Dali have in common with opera? Listen to this episode to find out! This episode features special guests soprano Elizaveta Ulakhovich and baritone Perry Sook talking about their work and lives as an operatic couple. Their newest project is a YouTube series that connects their love of opera and their exploration of the visual arts…

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Ep. 93 Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss 2:05:18

3y ago2:05:18

2:05:18

All things must come to an end, but few approach endings with such grace as Marschallin Marie-Therese, the iconic character of Der Rosenkavalier. At once epic and intimate in scope, Strauss’s masterwork resists characterization, at various points telling the story of the end of a romance, the end of adolescence, and the end of an empire. Published …

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Talking about Creative Retreats with Hannah Honeywill 23:53

3y ago23:53

23:53

Tune in to hear more about Hannah's work, how she has been inspired by Britten's music, how the life and work of both Britten and Pears can still be sensed at The Red House, and what a Creative Retreat in the grounds of their former home has meant to her. Plus, further additions to the podcast playlist - four brilliant tracks that are all about cou…

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Talking about Alternative Classical with Hannah Fiddy 34:26

3y ago34:26

34:26

Tune in to find out how Alternative Classical engages with new listeners, how to explore an exciting range of classical music performances, and how to play Concert Roulette! Plus, as usual there are some excellent additions to the podcast playlist.By Lucy Walker, Hannah Fiddy

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Talking about Music and the Environment with James Thornton 26:56

3y ago26:56

26:56

Tune in for a remarkable conversation about the environment, music, Britten's home town of Lowestoft, the fascinating and valuable relationships between musicians and environmental causes, and how music of all kinds can deeply affect the emotions.By Lucy Walker, James Thornton

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Ep. 92 Cox and Box & Pirates of Penzance by Sullivan and Gilbert 1:59:00

3y ago1:59:00

1:59:00

Riding high on the tide of their smash success, H.M.S. Pinafore, W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan enjoyed celebrity on both sides of the Atlantic. While engaged in defending the integrity of their work against inferior pirated versions, they hastily completed and premiered a show about a group of inferior pirates. Pirates of Penzance is almost cert…

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Ep. 91 Guillaume Tell by Rossini [EXTENDED VERSION] 2:10:45

3y ago2:10:45

2:10:45

This extended version of our William Tell show includes everything from the regular length show, plus more history, more music, more explication, and more fun! Imperial soldiers, determined rebels, a martyred elder, a plucky youth, a noble princess, a cruel oppressor… it’s not Star Wars; it’s Rossini’s final opera, William Tell! First performed in …

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Ep. 91 Guillaume Tell by Rossini 1:59:00

3y ago1:59:00

1:59:00

Imperial soldiers, determined rebels, a martyred elder, a plucky youth, a noble princess, a cruel oppressor… it’s not Star Wars; it’s Rossini’s final opera, William Tell! First performed in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Era and inspired by much earlier legends of a medieval Swiss folk hero, this opera is a masterwork of everything we love about o…

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A Special Extended Edition: Talking BEAM with Nadine Benjamin, Darren Abrahams and Claire Shovelton 54:30

3y ago54:30

54:30

Tune in for a fascinating conversation about the background, creation, and ethos of the multi-media music piece BEAM: Everybody Can Stand in their Own Light. The remarkable creative team behind this work (Nadine Benjamin, lead artists/co-dramaturg, Darren Abrahams, co-dramaturg and trauma specialist, and Claire Shovelton, senior producer and photog…

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A Conversation with Tansy Davies 31:51

3y ago31:51

31:51

Tansy Davies' new piece for string orchestra and percussion, 'Monolith: I Extend My Arms' will be premiered at Snape Maltings on 26 June 2021 (a Britten Pears Arts commission). Tune in for a conversation about this piece, and about other fascinating compositions - including Tansy's operas 'Between Worlds' and 'Cave', and the horn piece 'Yoik'. Plus…

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Ep. 90 Benvenuto Cellini by Berlioz 1:59:00

3y ago1:59:00

1:59:00

An adventurous Renaissance artist’s action-packed autobiography provided compelling inspiration for Hector Berlioz’s first completed opera, Benvenuto Cellini. Berlioz strongly identified with the notorious Cellini, seeing in him a mirror of his own bravado, skill, and passion… and uses this identification to add to the story. The result is a relent…

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Ep. 89 Trial by Jury and H.M.S. Pinafore by Gilbert and Sullivan 2:01:16

3y ago2:01:16

2:01:16

How do you get from The Opera to The Musical? Any answer to that question would have to include the powerhouse Victorian English duo of Gilbert and Sullivan and their ground-breaking form of “light opera.” Hilarious, cheerful, and energetic, they innovated both in opera and satirical comedy. Not only were they beloved by theater-goers of the late n…

1
Talking about dream.risk.sing - with Samantha Crawford and Lana Bode 29:31

3y ago29:31

29:31

Soprano Samantha Crawford and pianist Lana Bode have been collaborating on a remarkable project: dream.risk.sing. Their forthcoming recital and CD (with Delphian Records) focusses on women's voices. It is a programme of music mainly by female composers, and of texts by women (the proejct is supported using public funding by the National Lottery thr…

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Talking about Early Music - with Joseph McHardy 31:21

3+ y ago31:21

31:21

Tune in for a fascinating conversation between Lucy and Joe (who are both alumni of Edinburgh University!) about the rich and varied European choral tradition. The Chapel Royal at St James's Palace has an extraordinary history, intertwining the musical interests of English monarchs with the great musicians of the previous centuries, including Byrd,…

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Ep. 88 Susannah by Carlisle Floyd 2:00:47

3+ y ago2:00:47

2:00:47

Although only included in some versions of the biblical book of Daniel, the story of “Susanna and the Elders” has long been a favorite artistic subject thanks to its risqué content and virtuous heroine, Susanna. Inspired by this story of lechery, slander, and condemnation, American composer Carlisle Floyd wrote Susannah, a poignant opera about the …

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Talking about a Passion for Music - with Jamie Njoku-Goodwin 31:36

3+ y ago31:36

31:36

As we celebrate a year of Britten Pears Arts, we welcome a new Trustee! Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has had a remarkable career, from a music degree at Nottingham University, to a move into the political sphere, and his recent appointment as Chief Executive of UK Music. Tune in to hear a fascinating conversation about the emotional impact of music, how per…

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