Aldeburgh Festival

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Aldeburgh Festival. Annual fest. at Aldeburgh, Suffolk, since 1948, revolving largely round mus. and personality of Benjamin Britten and his circle. Has superb concert-hall, The Maltings, at nearby Snape. Several Britten works had first perf. at Fest., incl. Let's Make an Opera! (1949), Noye's Fludde (1958), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960), the three church parables (1964, 1966, 1968), and Death in Venice (1973). Berkeley's A Dinner Engagement (1954), Walton's The Bear (1967), and Birtwistle's Punch and Judy (1968) were also f.p. at Aldeburgh. After Britten's death, Rostropovich became one of art. dirs., as did Murray Perahia and Oliver Knussen.