2013 was the year of Benjamin Britten’s Centenary. Britten holds a special place in the world of 20th century music and this was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate it.
Working with the Centro Nacional de Difusión Musical (CNDM) de Madrid and la Filmoteca Española, the British Council was able to bring Britten alive again.
Five concerts took place over four months with Spanish and British artists paying tribute to Britten. This took place at the Auditorio Nacional de Música and ended with a wonderful performance of the Britten Sinfonia that attracted over 3500 enthusiasts.
The Filmoteca Española in Madrid showed many films and attracted over 750 people. Some films included:
- Documentaries with soundtracks by Britten
- Peter Grimes' Opera on Aldeburgh Beach
- Derek Jarman's film War Requiem.