BenjaminBritten

He was born inLowestoft in 1913. Hestarted writing musicwhen he was 5.

He died more than 30 years ago, but hismusic is still performedsomewhere in the worldalmost every day.

For many yearsBenjamin Brittenlived at The RedHouse in Aldeburgh.He also set up theconcert hall at Snape Maltings.

Snape Maltings (Photo: Jeremy Young)

The Red House (Photo: Len Hodds)

Benjamin Britten is best known for writingoperas. An opera is a musical play. Most ofthe words are sung, not spoken. Brittenwrote two operas especially for children:The Little Sweep and (below) Noye’s Fludde.

Benjamin Britten was a famous composer from Suffolk. A composer is someone wh o writes music.

www.brittenpears.org

The opera tells the Bible story of Noah and the flood.

Costume design: Ceri Richards.

Photo: Kurt Hutton.

God tells Noah that he will nevercause such a flood again and makesa rainbow as a sign of this promise.

After 40 days Noah sendsa raven to find dry land.The raven does not comeback so Noah sends adove. The dove comesback with an olivebranch. Noah realisesthat the flood is nearlyover.

A terrible storm brings a floodthat covers the whole earth.

Jubilee Opera production, 2008.

Noah does as God tells him. Hebuilds an ark and takes aboardhis family and one pair of everykind of animal and bird. ButMrs Noah does not believe him.She has to be dragged onto theark by her sons.

Photo: Kurt Hutton.

God decides to destroy all thebad people on earth by sendinga great flood. Noah is a goodman, so God tells him to buildan ark to save his family.

The story of Noye’s Fludde

Performance programme from 1990.

www.brittenpears.org

PerformingNo ye’s Fludde

This is the programme from the first performance of Noye’s Fludde inJune 1958. It shows just how many people it takes to put on an opera.

Benjamin Britten usedwords from a playaround 600 years old.This is why some of thespellings look odd.

Benjamin Brittenhelped set up theAldeburgh Festival. It still happens every June.

Ceri Richards -designed thecostumes for Noyeand his family, andmasks for all thebirds and animals.

Colin Grahamdirected the action on stage and alsodesigned the set.

The repetiteur helpsthe singers learntheir parts.

Most of the childrenwho played animalsand birds came fromschools around Suffolk.

Photo: Kurt Hutton.

Photo: Kurt Hutton.

Most of the orchestra came from Suffolk schools. The percussionsection includedmugs to make thesound of raindrops.Behind the sceneswere lots of otherpeople, includingFrank Winter whoturned Ceri Richards'designs into finishedanimal masks.

Photo: Kurt Hutton.

God, Noye and MrsNoye were all playedby professionalsingers.

Michael Crawford,one of the childrenwho played Noye'ssons, grew up tobecome a famousactor on TV and inmusicals.

Benjamin Brittenoften conducted hisown music, but askedCharles Mackerras toconduct Noye's Fludde.

These wereprofessionalmusicians whooften performedBenjamin Britten'soperas.

www.brittenpears.org