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'''Benjamin Britten''' (1913-1976) was a [[England|British]] [[composer]] who wrote songs, orchestral music and a number of [[opera]]s, including  ''[[The Turn of the Screw]]'', ''[[Billy Budd]]'', ''Peter Grimes'', ''Death in Venice'' and ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. As a songwriter, he had a great sensitivity to English poetry. He is regarded as one of the outstanding composers of the twentieth century.

'''Benjamin Britten''' (1913-1976) was a [[England|British]] [[composer]] who wrote songs, orchestral music and a number of [[opera]]s, including  ''[[The Turn of the Screw]]'', ''[[Billy Budd]]'', ''Peter Grimes'', ''Death in Venice'' and ''A Midsummer Night's Dream''. As a songwriter, he had a great sensitivity to English poetry. He is regarded as one of the outstanding composers of the twentieth century.

He studied music under Frank Bridge at the Royal College of Music in London. During [[World War II]] he was a pacifist, who fled England to America to avoid being called up to serve in the army. In this respect, he was like his friends W.H.Auden and Christopher Isherwood. After the war, he returned to England, and settled in East Anglia where he set up the Aldeburgh Music festival at The Maltings, Snape, in Suffolk. Shortly before he died he was made a life peer of the UK.

He studied music under Frank Bridge at the Royal College of Music in London. During [[World War II]] he was a pacifist, who fled England to America to avoid being called up to serve in the army. In this respect, he was like his friends [[W. H. Auden]] and [[Christopher Isherwood]]. After the war, he returned to England, and settled in [[East Anglia]], where he set up the Aldeburgh Music festival at The Maltings, Snape, in Suffolk. Shortly before he died he was made a life peer of the UK.

==Religious Beliefs==

==Religious beliefs==

Britten was a [[Christian]] and a practicing member of the Church of England. However he often found this difficult to reconcile with his  [[Communist]] views and his [[homosexuality]] which had, as is so often found, a strong [[pedophile]] aspect. Many of Britten's operas deal with his inner guilt, conflict and torment over the latter problem in particular, choosing themes concerned with harm to children (in ''Peter Grimes''), or the guilt of an adult who deliberately corrupts a child (in ''The Turn of the Screw'').

Britten was a [[Christian]] and a practicing member of the [[Church of England]]. However he often found this difficult to reconcile with his  [[Communist]] views and his [[homosexuality]] which had, as is so often found, a strong [[pedophile]] aspect. Many of Britten's operas deal with his inner guilt, conflict and torment over the latter problem in particular, choosing themes concerned with harm to children (in ''Peter Grimes''), or the guilt of an adult who deliberately corrupts a child (in ''The Turn of the Screw'').

==Homosexuality and Links with Pedophilia==

==Homosexuality and links with pedophilia==

According to Eric Crozier, Britten's librettist for ''Albert Herring'', Britten was seduced or raped as a boy by a master at his private school, and was thereafter "under a compulsion to corrupt other small boys." <ref>

According to Eric Crozier, Britten's librettist for ''Albert Herring'', Britten was seduced or raped as a boy by a master at his private school, and was thereafter "under a compulsion to corrupt other small boys." <ref>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Britten, Benjamin}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Britten, Benjamin}}

[[Category:Homosexuals]]

[[Category:Homosexuals]]