ILLUMINATING BRITTEN weekend at the Barbican Centre

What a brilliant weekend of Britten related discussions, films and concerts John Bridcut curated last weekend.  I was lucky enough to be interviewed in a panel discussion called BRITTEN’S SENSE AND SEXUALITY with the writer historian & biographer (notably of Isherwood & Ackerley), Peter Parker & the superb singer Catherine Wyn Rogers, who is currently singing LUCRETIA with Glyndebourne.  We were interviewed by Radio 4′s Libby Purves – strange to meet someone whose voice is so very familiar!

For Sunday lunch, Searcy’s (in a departure from its usual cuisine) fed us on fare which would have been Red House favourites – Britten loved his British nursery food – I had steak and kidney pudding with new potatoes, peas and carrots followed by a delicious treacle tart!  Miss Hudson (Britten’s housekeeper) would have been proud.  Though Ben might have been a bit miffed that we didn’t all put on ties for lunch – Basil Coleman told me this was de rigeur for dinners at the Red House when he was a frequent house-guest.  I sat at a table with Peter Parker and the great Britten expert, Philip Reed – distinguished & illuminating company…

John Bridcut’s film ENDGAME about Britten’s final years is a masterpiece & very moving.  He really is a fantastic cinematic storyteller.

Iain Burnside’s new play with Guildhall Students JOURNEYING BOYS about the young lives of Rimbaud & Britten was fascinating too…