Death in Venice
Music by Benjamin Britten · libretto by Myfanwy Piper · premiered 1973 · at Aldeburgh Festival
Death in Venice, Op. 88, is an opera in two acts by Benjamin Britten, his last. The opera is based on Death in Venice, a novella by Thomas Mann. The opera's libretto is by Myfanwy Piper. Her husband John Piper designed the sets. It was first performed at Snape Maltings, near Aldeburgh, England, on 16 June 1973. The often acerbic and severe score is marked by some haunting soundscapes of "ambiguous Venice". The boy Tadzio is portrayed by a silent dancer, to gamelan-like percussion accompaniment.
Text from the Wikipedia article "Death in Venice (opera)", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
About the Composer
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music, orchestral and chamber pieces. His best-known works include the opera Peter Grimes (1945), the War Requiem (1962) and the orchestral showpiece The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (1945). Britten was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk, the son of a dentist. He showed talent from an early age. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London and privately with the composer Frank Bridge. Britten first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A…
Text from the Wikipedia article "Benjamin Britten", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Other Operas by Benjamin Britten
- Gloriana (1928)
- Albert Herring (1946)
- Billy Budd (1951)
- Curlew River (1956)
- A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960)