Supporters’ content
Welcome to your content page, where you can delve deeper into the story of Britten Pears Arts. Watch videos, browse backdated issues of Interludes, your members’ e-newsletter, and read articles about our history and how the legacy of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears continues in our work today.
Interludes
Our exclusive monthly supporter e-newsletter, which includes behind-the-scenes news from the charity, updates, personal stories and much, much more.
Use the links below to access past issues of Interludes.
Digital Discussions
Our digital event series
As valued members of our community at Britten Pears Arts, we know many of our Friends and members enjoy opportunities to find out more about our work and meet members of our team and artistic community who support all that we do. We know that for some members who live further afield, it isn’t always possible for you to visit us at Snape Maltings and The Red House, so we want to bring them to you.
This year, we have developed a specially curated digital series to give you just that. Our new online series, Digital Discussions, hosted on Zoom webinar, invites a line-up of panellists from both within and outside Britten Pears Arts, to discuss a chosen topic of interest. Featuring guest talks, short archive lectures, and Q&A sessions, Digital Discussions spotlight our work, whilst looking at its historical foundations, sparking conversations and revealing histories from the depths of our archive. This can all be enjoyed from the comfort of your home!
You can read further insights into Digital Discussions here.
Digital Discussions: The Turn of the Screw 70th Anniversary
We’re joined by Isabella Bywater, Director and Designer of ENO’s latest production of The Turn of the Screw, and Dr. Nicholas Clark, Librarian at The Red House Archive, as they delve into the themes of Britten’s most haunting and enigmatic opera. Together, they offer unique perspectives on Britten's storytelling, exploring the opera’s psychological depth, atmospheric tension, and lasting impact on audiences.
Have a watch:
The Britten Pears Archive collects material relating to Britten, Pears and people closely associated with them. Material may for example be a single programme, letter or photograph, or indeed a larger collection of papers. If you have material that you would like to deposit, please contact archive@brittenpearsarts.org.
Explore our Digital Discussion series:
Celebrating Imogen Holst
This Digital Discusssion celebrates aspects of Imogen Holst's life. Our guest speaker, Laura Casas Cambra, PhD candidate at the Royal College of Music, sheds light on the characteristics of Imogen Holst’s compositions and music, based on her own research. Judith Ratcliffe, Archivist, explores Holst’s personal life and papers documented in the Archive at The Red House. Additionally, Judith shares how we currently care for Holst’s former home, 9 Church Walk, Aldeburgh.
A Valentine's Special
Featuring guest speakers Dr Nicholas Clark, our Archive Librarian; Dr Philip Reed, author of 'Letters from a Life'; and Séamus Rea, Creative Producer of The Fourth Choir, in this special Digital Discussions, we delved into the love letters exchanged between Britten and Pears, unveiling a tender relationship that endured nearly 40 years.
10 Years of the Archive.
Marking the 10 year anniversary of the purpose built Archive building at The Red House, we celebrate this notable date with special guest speaker Vicki Stroeher, along with members of our dedicated Archive team.
Celebrating Britten and Women.
Writer and curator of the Britten and Women exhibition, Dr Lucy Walker, celebrates the role of women in Britten's life and how they navigated their careers in a man's world.
A Right Royal Affair
With special permission from the Royal Household, we explore the letters between the late Queen Elizabeth II to Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears.
Making The Arts Useful
Focussing on the contemporary work of Britten Pears Arts, whilst casting our minds back to the work of its founders Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, Making The Arts Useful, gave a behind-the-scenes insight into how ‘community’ shapes our initiatives.
Explore our Community Diaries
Free Music for Schools
10 brilliant composers, Alexander Campkin, Alice Zawadzki, Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Ben Parry, CN Lester, Charlotte Harding, Kerry Andrew,…
Influential research maps music education in Suffolk
Music education should hold a similar status to other core curriculum subjects because of its important role in boosting pupils’ wellbeing, an…
Britten Pears Young Artists | Community Course
As a musician, community work might be an extension of your artistic output, or a core part of your career. Britten Pears Young Artists take part in a…
Explore treasures from the Archive which give us an insight into the fascinating lives of Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears and their creative circle.
Archive Treasures: An Angel in Blythburgh Church
Festival Walks are still a fixture of today’s Aldeburgh Festival, but the Church…
Archive Treasures: 70th birthday presents by Hockney and Holst
The 33rd Aldeburgh Festival in 1980 marked the 70th birthday of Peter Pears. His birthday fell on the last day of the festival and a whole day of…
Archive Treasures: Slow train to Aldeburgh – Britten and Dr Beeching
James Callaghan, Roy Jenkins, Barbara Castle: the list of Ministers in Harold Wilson’s 1964-1970 Labour government in the UK includes many political…
Our work in Creative Health which aims to support artists and practitioners, strengthen cross-sector relationships, and develop new practice by working with partners across arts, academia, health and social care. Find out more...
Sansara: Giving voice to grief
Following a five-day residency with Britten Pears Arts earlier this year, the Sansara Choir report back on their experience and how it helped…
Friday Afternoons: Six New Songs by Suffolk Students
We are thrilled to unveil our latest addition to the Friday Afternoons collection: six brand-new songs created by young voices from across…
East Suffolk Skylarks
Skylarks is a fun and friendly singing group for people living with Parkinson’s and their companions. East Suffolk Skylarks…
Dive in to films and stories created with the artists on our Residency programme.
Britten Pears Young Artists: Francesca Lauri and Ellen Pearson
Pianist Francesca Lauri and mezzo-soprano Ellen Pearson both took part in this year’s Britten Pears Young Artist Programme and here they share…
Britten Pears Young Artists: Chaos String Quartet
Founded in Vienna in 2019, the Chaos String Quartet has quickly made its mark on the international music stage. In 2023-24 they took part in…
Britten Pears Young Artist: Kalun Leung
Kalun Leung is a Canadian trombonist and sound artist who has taken part in the Britten Pears Arts Young Artist Programme. Here he talks about…
