Albert Herring

Abstract

Choosing stage repertoire for developing voices can be tricky, but Albert Herring was conceived from the outset as a chamber work that Britten could use to help establish his English Opera Group in 1947. Thus, it does not call for especially large voices to sing over a similarly large orchestra. Moreover, it is a genuine ensemble piece, providing substantial roles for a sizeable number of singers. And many of the characters they are asked to play are as young, or even younger than they are likely to be themselves.