Britten Books, Ruhrtriennale Festival
Sara Mohr-Pietsch discusses 2 books on Benjamin Britten, one about his relationship with Russia and the other, correspondence with Peter Pears. Also a trip to the Ruhrtriennale.
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Britten in Books: 鈥楤enjamin Britten and Russia鈥� by Cameron Pyke, and The letters of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears
Duration: 19:53
At the Ruhrtriennale festival in Germany
Duration: 22:52
Britten in Books: 鈥楤enjamin Britten and Russia鈥� by Cameron Pyke, and The letters of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears
Music Matters returns for a new season with a fresh look at the life and work of Benjamin Britten. As two new books are published about the British composer, academics Marina Frolova-Walker and Gerard McBurney talk to Sara Mohr-Pietsch about Britten鈥檚 links with Soviet Russia in the middle of the Cold War 鈥� particularly his relationship with Shostakovich, and his enduring friendship among others, with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, for whom he wrote a number of pieces, including his Cello Symphony. Our experts also delve into a new compilation of letters - the entire surviving correspondence between Britten and his partner, the tenor Peter Pears. The letters reveal how they saw the world around them as well as offering an insightful view of how their personal relationship informed their artistic lives. 主播大秀鈥檚 archive material is used to illustrate these compelling topics.听
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Photo: Benjamin Britten (L) and Peter Pears 漏 主播大秀At the Ruhrtriennale festival in Germany
Sara Mohr-Pietsch takes a trip to the Ruhrtriennale arts festival. Based in Germany鈥檚 industrial North-West, the festival stages theatre, music and dance as well as exhibiting art installations in former factories and warehouses across the region. Sara talks to its Music Director Johan Simons, whose motto for the festival is 鈥楽eid umschlungen鈥�, 鈥楤e Embraced鈥�, taken from Schiller鈥檚 Ode to Joy with a view to challenging the meaning of European identity today. Striving to be attuned to the latest developments in the continent, this year鈥檚 Ruhrtriennale attempts to respond to the migrant crisis and its impact in Germany. Sara samples performances touching upon these topics, like 鈥楴icht Schlafen鈥� 鈥� 鈥楧on鈥檛 Sleep鈥�, a dance piece by choreographer Alain Platel using the music of Mahler; a music theatre piece by Johan Simons himself called 鈥楧ie Fremden鈥�, 鈥楾he Foreigner鈥�, created with conductor Reinbert De Leeuw and using music by Ligeti, Kagel and Claude Vivier; and a project named 鈥楿rban Prayers鈥�, which visits places of worship - Christian, Muslim, Hindu - around the Ruhr region seeking bridges between this now multi-ethnic community.听
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Photo: Ruhrtriennale festival poster 漏 主播大秀听Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Sara Mohr-Pietsch |
| Interviewed Guest | Gerard McBurney |
| Interviewed Guest | Marina Frolova-Walker |
| Interviewed Guest | Johan Simons |
Broadcasts
- Sat 17 Sep 2016 12:15主播大秀 Radio 3
- Mon 19 Sep 2016 22:00主播大秀 Radio 3
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