AN ENGLISH CHRISTMAS

This Christmas, celebrate the season with a traditional English musical feast of festive songs! And meet the real Santa Claus – with not a red suit or a white beard in sight. The legend of St Nicolas dates back to the 4th century, but it has a deliciously Roald Dahl feel to it, with pickled children being served up to travellers for dinner. But fear not: the saint makes everything come out right, and Britten's enchanting music will captivate you with its gentle wit and simple beauty.

It had not been an easy couple of years for Britten. Singers had refused to take part in a recording of his first opera, Peter Grimes; his next two operas, Albert Herring and The Rape of Lucretia did poorly at the box office. But then, in 1947, Britten's partner Peter Pears came up with a solution to Britten's despondency: a festival of his own, in his beloved Aldeburgh, on the windswept Suffolk coast. He could choose the music he wanted, the performers he trusted – and the critics not to invite! Three joyful works poured from his pen, among them Saint Nicolas. Originally performed by a choir of high school children, with Pears in the title role, Saint Nicolas is fresh, honest and bold, open-hearted and exuberant, 'one of those triumphs,' wrote E.M. Forster, 'outside the rules of art.'

Single Tickets go on sale 3 January 2012.

SINGLE TICKET PRICES ADULT / CONCESSION
PREMIUM RESERVE $90 / $85
A RESERVE $82 / $60
B RESERVE $62 / $48
C RESERVE $45 / $32

SHARE THE CONCERT!

Let your family, friends and followers know about this great performance!

&