Various

Benjamin Britten- Source Stories of Twelve Operas

No. of episodes

32

Latest episode

2026-03-06

Where can you listen?

Discover the captivating world of Benjamin Brittens operas, which hold a revered place in the international repertoire. According to Operabase, his works are performed more frequently than those of any other 20th-century composer, surpassed only by Puccini and Richard Strauss when considering all operas after 1900. Britten drew inspiration from a diverse array of sources, ranging from biblical tales to Japanese noh plays. This collection features twelve source stories, with original texts for all but one—A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is presented through Charles Lamb’s enchanting retelling. While some operas are not included due to the unavailability of public domain texts, this anthology offers a rich exploration of the narratives that shaped Brittens remarkable operatic creations. Summary by Wikipedia and David Wales.