Benjamin Britten's Operas Flashcards

Master trivia covering Benjamin Britten's operas, their librettists, source material, form and dates.

1
Q

What is the title of Britten’s first opera?

A

Peter Grimes, Op. 33

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2
Q

In what year/venue did “Peter Grimes” premier?

A

1945, Sadler’s Wells, London

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3
Q

Who was the librettist for “Peter Grimes”?

A

Montagu Slater

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4
Q

What is the source material for “Peter Grimes”?

A

“The Borough” by George Crabbe. A poetic collection of 24 letter set in heroic couplets (1810). Peter Grimes is the subject of letter XXII.

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5
Q

What is the title of Britten’s second opera?

A

The Rape of Lucretia, Op. 37

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6
Q

In what year/venue did “The Rape of Lucretia” premier?

A

1946, Glyndebourne

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7
Q

Who was the librettist for “The Rape of Lucretia”?

A

Ronald Duncan

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7
Q

What is the source material for “The Rape of Lucretia”?

A

“Le Viol de Lucrèce,” by André Obey, based upon ancient Roman history.

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8
Q

What is the source material for “The Rape of Lucretia”?

A

“Le Viol de Lucrèce,” by André Obey (1931), based upon ancient Roman history (510 BCE)

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9
Q

In what year/venue did “Albert Herring” premier?

A

1947, Glyndebourne

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10
Q

What is the source material for “Albert Herring”?

A

The short story “Le Rosier de Mme. Husson” by Guy de Maupassant (1887)

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11
Q

Who was the librettist for “Albert Herring”?

A

Eric Crozier

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12
Q

What is the title of Britten’s fourth opera?

A

Billy Bud, Op. 50

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13
Q

In what year/venue did “Billy Bud” originally premier?

A

1951, Royal Opera House, London

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14
Q

In what year/venue did the revised version of “Billy Bud” premier?

A

1964, Royal Opera House, London

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15
Q

What is the source material for “Billy Bud”?

A

The 1924 novella “Billy Bud, Sailor” by American author Herman Melville. It was published posthumously after its discovery in 1919 by Melville’s first biographer, Raymond M. Weaver.

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16
Q

Who was the the librettist for “Billy Bud”?

A

E.M. Forster and Eric Crozier

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17
Q

What is the title of Britten’s fifth opera?

A

Gloriana, Op. 53

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18
Q

In what year/venue did “Gloriana” premier?

A

1953, Royal Opera House, London

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19
Q

Who was the librettist for “Gloriana”?

A

William Plomer

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20
Q

What is the source material for “Gloriana”?

A

“Elisabeth and Essex: A Tragic History”, a 1928 biography by Lytton Strachey.

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21
Q

What is the title of Britten’s sixth opera?

A

The Turn of the Screw, Op. 54

22
Q

In what year/venue did “The Turn of the Screw” premier?

A

1954, Teatro la Fenice, Venice

23
Q

Who is the librettist for “The Turn of the Screw”?

A

Myfanwy Piper

24
Q

What is the title of Britten’s seventh opera?

A

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 64

25
Q

What is the source material for “The Turn of the Screw”?

A

The short story “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James (1898)

26
Q

In what year/venue did “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” premier?

A

1960, Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh Festival

27
Q

Who is the librettist for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”?

A

Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears

28
Q

What is the name of Britten’s eighth opera?

A

Owen Wingrave, Op. 85

29
Q

What is the source material for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”?

A

William Shakespeare’s play of the same name (1590-1596)

30
Q

In what year/venue did “Owen Wingrave” premier?

A

1971, BBC2 Television Broadcast

31
Q

In what year/venue was “Owen Wingrave” fully staged?

A

1973, The Royal Opera House, London

32
Q

Who is the librettist for “Owen Wingrave”?

A

Myfanwy Piper

33
Q

What is the name of Britten’s ninth opera?

A

Death in Venice, Op. 88

34
Q

What is the source material for “Owen Wingrave”?

A

The short story “Owen Wingrave” by Henry James (1892)

35
Q

In what year/venue did “Death in Venice” premier?

A

1973, Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh Festival

36
Q

Who is the librettist for “Death in Venice”?

A

Myfanwy Piper

38
Q

What is the source material for “Death in Venice”

A

The novella “Death in Venice” by Thomas Mann (1912)

39
Q

What is the form/length of “Paul Bunyan”?

A

Operetta in two acts, 114’

40
Q

What is the form/length of “Peter Grimes”?

A

Opera in a prologue and three acts, 147’

41
Q

What is the form/length of “The Rape of Lucretia”?

A

Opera in two acts, 107’

42
Q

What is the form/length of “Albert Herring”?

A

Comic opera in three acts, 137’

43
Q

What is the form/length of “The Beggar’s Opera”?

A

Ballad opera, 108’

44
Q

What is the form/length of “The Little Sweep”?

A

Entertainment for young people, 130’

45
Q

What is the original form/length of “Billy Bud”?

A

Opera in four acts, 162’

46
Q

What is the revised form/length of “Billy Bud”?

A

Opera in two acts, 158’

47
Q

What is the form/length of “Gloriana”?

A

Opera in four acts, 148’

48
Q

What is the form/length of “The Turn of the Screw”?

A

Opera in a prologue and two acts, 101’

49
Q

What is the form/length of “Noye’s Fludde”?

A

Music-theatre for community performance, 50’

50
Q

What is the form/length of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”?

A

Opera in three acts, 144’

51
Q

What is the form/length of “Owen Wingrave”?

A

Opera for television in two acts, 106’

52
Q

What is the form/length of “Death in Venice”?

A

Opera in two acts, 145’

53
Q

How many operas did Benjamin Britten compose?

A

Britten composed nine operas.

54
Q

How many sung stage works did Britten compose?

A

Britten composed fourteen sung stage works