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| Benjamin Britten's archive and restored studio opens | Benjamin Britten's archive and restored studio opens |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An archive housing manuscripts, letters and photographs belonging to the composer Benjamin Britten opens later. | An archive housing manuscripts, letters and photographs belonging to the composer Benjamin Britten opens later. |
| The archive, and Britten's newly-restored studio, are both housed in the grounds of The Red House in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, where be lived until 1976. | The archive, and Britten's newly-restored studio, are both housed in the grounds of The Red House in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, where be lived until 1976. |
| The projects are part of a £4.7m investment in the site, funded by the Britten-Pears Foundation and the Heritage Lottery Fund. | The projects are part of a £4.7m investment in the site, funded by the Britten-Pears Foundation and the Heritage Lottery Fund. |
| Britten lived in the house with his partner Peter Pears from 1957. | Britten lived in the house with his partner Peter Pears from 1957. |
| The archive is thought to be one of the most comprehensive collections of any composer in the world, and tells the story of both his creative and personal life. | The archive is thought to be one of the most comprehensive collections of any composer in the world, and tells the story of both his creative and personal life. |
| 'Extraordinary spirit' | 'Extraordinary spirit' |
| The facility includes more than 700 pieces of music, about 80,000 letters, personal diaries, and costumes and set designs from some of his works. | The facility includes more than 700 pieces of music, about 80,000 letters, personal diaries, and costumes and set designs from some of his works. |
| Richard Jarman, director of the Britten-Pears Foundation, said: "What we have at The Red House is exceptional - a rich and illuminating collection held in the very place where Britten lived and composed, with all its extraordinary spirit of place." | Richard Jarman, director of the Britten-Pears Foundation, said: "What we have at The Red House is exceptional - a rich and illuminating collection held in the very place where Britten lived and composed, with all its extraordinary spirit of place." |
| As well as the archive building, work has been completed on a restoration of the studio in the grounds of the house, where Britten composed works including his War Requiem and A Midsummer Night's Dream. | As well as the archive building, work has been completed on a restoration of the studio in the grounds of the house, where Britten composed works including his War Requiem and A Midsummer Night's Dream. |
| The original studio was built in a converted hayloft by architect HT "Jim" Cadbury-Brown in 1958. | The original studio was built in a converted hayloft by architect HT "Jim" Cadbury-Brown in 1958. |
| It gave the composer unobstructed views of the surrounding fields and The Red House itself. | It gave the composer unobstructed views of the surrounding fields and The Red House itself. |
| Original Steinway | Original Steinway |
| At the time, Britten said: "I've made myself a nice remote studio where I can bang away to my heart's content." | At the time, Britten said: "I've made myself a nice remote studio where I can bang away to my heart's content." |
| Until recently it was used as a store room, but much of the material housed there has now been moved to the new archive building. | Until recently it was used as a store room, but much of the material housed there has now been moved to the new archive building. |
| The restored studio contains Britten's original Steinway piano, artwork, furniture and ornaments from 1958, and is based on Cadbury-Brown's design plans and photographs of the time. | The restored studio contains Britten's original Steinway piano, artwork, furniture and ornaments from 1958, and is based on Cadbury-Brown's design plans and photographs of the time. |
| Some of the composer's best-known works include the operas Peter Grimes and Billy Budd, and The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. |