Unlock the intricate world of Britten’s musical language with this essential guide. Delving into the composer’s masterful fusion of verbal and musical utterance, this book offers profound insights into his creation of complex symbolic dramas. Through detailed interpretative studies of major works like *Peter Grimes* and the *War Requiem*, it blends linguistic and social theories with rigorous music analysis. Discover fresh perspectives on the performative and social basis of language in Benjamin Britten’s compositions. An indispensable resource for students, scholars, and enthusiasts of 20th-century opera and British music.