Paul Kildea's major biography of the twentieth-century composer, Benjamin Britten, is published in the year that marks his centenary.

In this vivid portrait of the composer, Paul Kildea explores the private and creative life of the man who composed operas that have entered the popular consciousness as well as the musical canon. These include, Peter Grimes, Billy Budd and The Turn of the Screw. Kildea also explores his forty-year complex relationship with Peter Pears for whom Britten created an array of operatic and vocal roles. Kildea brings his experience as a conductor who has performed many of Britten's works to bear in his insightful interpretation of the composer's music. Radio 3 will be marking Britten's Centenary across the year including broadcasts of all his operas

Read by Alex Jennings who is well known to Radio 4 audiences, and has appeared in many films, and television dramas. He is currently appearing at the National Theatre in Hymn by Alan Bennett. In 2009 he played Benjamin Britten in The Habit of Art also by Alan Bennett.
Abridged by Richard Hamilton.
Produced by Elizabeth Allard. Show less