Of all the Britten works aired during this centenary year, the Op 68 Symphony for Cello and Orchestra is among the least frequently heard. Written 50 years ago for Mstislav Rostropovich, it has been ...

Despite the cold war, Britten developed an important circle of Russian-Soviet friendships in the early 1960s, among whom was the great cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. After hearing "Slava" play the ...

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One of the UK’s most feted composers, Benjamin Britten wrote prolifically during his lifetime, leaving behind a treasured legacy of operas, orchestral works, concertos and choral pieces. In 2013, the ...

But let's take a step back before we examine bits and pieces from his amazing output, and look at what he achieved over his lifetime. Britten, who died in 1976, was a gifted composer by any measure, ...

Scottish conductor Sir Donald Runnicles gets around. He holds down three principal gigs -- general music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, music director at the Grand Teton Music Festival in ...

When plotting out his first season as Minnesota Orchestra music director, Thomas Søndergård decided to focus his winter visit on two countries: Russia and England. After celebrating the new year with ...