Characters From Benjamin Britten's Operas Quiz

Answer: Death In Venice

Britten's final opera, "Death In Venice", was first performed at the Aldeburgh Festival in 1973. It is based on Thomas Mann's novella, which tells of Gustav von Aschenbach, an aging novelist, who comes to Venice in search of inspiration. While there he becomes obsessed with a young Polish boy, Tadzio. Though intelligent enough to realise how ridiculous his feelings are, he cannot bring himself to abandon them.

When a plague of cholera threatens the city, he stays on to pursue his hopeless infatuation, but this only leads to his lonely death.

Answer: Owen Wingrave

"Owen Wingrave" is one of Britten's least-performed full-length operas and is unusual in having been written specifically for television, in response to a commission from the BBC, which broadcast it in May 1971. Like "The Turn of the Screw", it is based on a story by Henry James.

The title character, Owen, becomes estranged from his family (which has a proud military history) when he announces he is a pacifist. Kate Julian, who his family expect Owen to marry, challenges him to prove he is not a coward by sleeping in a haunted room in the family house. Owen accepts the challenge but is found dead in the room the next morning.

Answer: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Nick Bottom is a weaver and one of the "rude mechanicals" in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", which was adapted for the operatic stage by Britten in 1960. It is both one of his most popular operas, and generally regarded as one of the most successful operas based on Shakespeare (of which there have been many).

While the mechanicals are busy rehearsing a play, the mischievous sprite Puck casts a magic spell on Bottom which gives him an ass's head. He is then seduced by Titania, the Queen of the Fairies, who by means of another spell has fallen love with him.

Answer: The Turn Of The Screw

Britten's opera based on Henry James's ghost story "The Turn of the Screw" was given its first performance at Venice's Teatro La Fenice in 1954. Miss Jessel is the former Governess of two children, Miles and Flora, and appears in the form of a ghost, along with Peter Quint, who had once been a valet in the same house.

The story tells how the new Governess attempts to protect the children from the malign influence of the two ghosts, without success.

Answer: Gloriana

The historical figure of Robert Deveraux, Earl of Essex, appears as a character in Britten's opera about Queen Elizabeth I, "Gloriana". Essex's relationship with the Queen is a key theme of the opera: she likes him personally, but in the end his hot-headed impulsiveness leads to his downfall, and Elizabeth is forced to put her duty as Queen before her heart and sign his death warrant.

The opera was composed specifically for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and first performed at the Royal Opera House in 1953 as part of the official national celebrations. At the time it was not especially well-received but has since been successfully revived.

Answer: Billy Budd

John Claggart is the sadistic Master-at-Arms of HMS Indomitable in Britten's "Billy Budd", based on the short novel by Herman Melville. He dislikes Billy and falsely accuses him of plotting a mutiny. Billy then accidentally kills Claggart and following a court-martial is condemned to death. The popular and sensitive Captain Vere refuses to pardon Billy, a decision which haunts him for the rest of his life.

The opera was adapted by the novelist E M Forster in collaboration with Eric Crozier, who had written the libretto for "Albert Herring". Its first performance was at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London, in 1951.

Answer: Albert Herring

The imperious aristocrat Lady Billows is a character in Britten's 1947 comic opera "Albert Herring". As the opera opens, she is attempting to select a May Queen for the annual Loxford May Day Festival, but sadly none of the local village girls are sufficiently virtuous. Instead it is decided to select a May King instead, and to crown Albert Herring, the timid greengrocer's assistant. Needless to say, all does not go to plan.

Like its very different predecessor, "The Rape of Lucretia", "Albert Herring" was first performed by the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

Answer: The Rape Of Lucretia

Tarquinius, son of the King of Rome, appears in Britten's early chamber opera "The Rape of Lucretia", which had its premiere during the 1946 Glyndebourne Festival. It is he who carries out the titular assault on Lucretia, the virtuous wife of Collatinus, who subsequently kills herself.

The only good to come from this tragic incident is that it prompts a revolt against his tyrannical father and the establishment of the Roman Republic.

Answer: Peter Grimes

The schoolmistress Ellen Orford appears in Britten's first big stage success, "Peter Grimes" (1945). She is one of the few characters who is sympathetic towards the unpopular fisherman, Peter Grimes, and tries unsuccessfully to help him. Grimes wishes to marry Ellen, but the events of the opera conspire to render this impossible.

"Peter Grimes" was based on a poem by George Crabbe and was composed after Britten had returned to the UK from America in 1942. Its first performance was in June 1945 at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London.

Answer: Paul Bunyan

Hot Biscuit Slim is a character in Britten's early operetta, "Paul Bunyan". He is a cook who works at Bunyan's lumberjack camp, and who falls in love with (and marries) Paul's daughter, Tiny.

"Paul Bunyan" was Britten's first full-length work of musical theatre, and was first performed in the USA, at Columbia University, in 1941. Britten was unhappy with the work and withdrew it for many years, although towards the end of his life he revised it and this version has subsequently been performed all over the world.