Made at the request of the Britten Estate, this film - thought to be the definitive portrait of the great composer - tells of one of the most profound love affairs of the 20th Century, between Britten and his lover and life-long companion and inspiration, PETER PEARS.

At a time when it was illegal to be openly homosexual, Britten & Pears faced up to a hostile world with unflinching dignity, producing a string of masterpieces that, together with the works of Vaughan Williams, established English music as internationally pre-eminent in the middle years of the 20th century.

Among the music featured is extracts from: Peter Grimes, Billy Budd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The War Requiem, Curlew River, Death in Venice, The Nocturne, & ‘The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra

With: BENJAMIN BRITTEN; PETER PEARS; LEONARD BERNSTEIN; SVIATOSLAV RICHTER; JANET BAKER; JULIAN BREAM; HEATHER HARPER; IMOGEN HOLST; JOHN SHIRLEY-QUIRK; RUDOLF BING & HENRY MOORE
The music conducted by STEUART BEDFORD and played by THE ENGLISH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA