The Red House, Aldeburgh

The Red House, Aldeburgh Former home of Benjamin Britten, his musical collections in The Archive and their beautiful garden.

Benjamin Britten was one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. He wrote a vast amount of incredible music and wanted everyone to enjoy it – professional and amateur musicians, music enthusiasts, children and families. He was born in 1913 and raised in Lowestoft, and Suffolk was the backdrop for nearly his entire life. At The Red House in Aldeburgh he lived with Peter Pears, his muse

and life partner, for nearly two decades until his death in 1976. As well as exploring Britten’s music, visitors to The Red House can find out more about his and Pears’ lives together. The House, with its classic 1950s/60s interiors, is a mix of formal and cosy, with an eclectic range of books, art, and furniture. The large gardens are for wandering around and enjoying the peace and quiet of this corner of Suffolk.

"Why not make our own festival?" as Peter Pear suggested in 1947. From that idea, the Aldeburgh Festival was created, sh...
17/06/2026

"Why not make our own festival?" as Peter Pear suggested in 1947. From that idea, the Aldeburgh Festival was created, shaped by a wish to bring music and culture to a community rebuilding after the Second World War.

This photograph captures the first Executive Committee meeting, where early conversations shaped the future of the Festival, from concert venues and travel to welcoming audiences to the Suffolk Coast.

We continue this legacy today, celebrating the 77th Aldeburgh Festival with creativity, community and world-class performances.

Celebrate summer solstice with us in Aldeburgh this weekend. Start your Sunday with new works that commemorate the begin...
15/06/2026

Celebrate summer solstice with us in Aldeburgh this weekend. Start your Sunday with new works that commemorate the beginning and end of Britten’s life, in Lowestoft and here in Aldeburgh.

Then continue your morning at a slower pace with solstice yoga on the lawn, led by Tamara Britten, designed to build strength and find calm.

Places are still available via the link, https://bit.ly/3QzHSjO

50 years after its premiere in 1976 by Janet Baker, Benjamin Britten’s dramatic cantata Phaedra is one of the many excit...
13/06/2026

50 years after its premiere in 1976 by Janet Baker, Benjamin Britten’s dramatic cantata Phaedra is one of the many exciting works featured at this year’s Aldeburgh Festival on Thursday 18 June.

Britten Sinfonia will perform an evening of obsession, abandonement and absolute fury in this powerful programme of Greek mythology set to music from three centuries.

Tickets are still available via the link, https://bit.ly/3QcKX9e.

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Britain’s revered artist, David Hockney, yesterday.We were fortunate to welco...
12/06/2026

We were saddened to hear of the passing of Britain’s revered artist, David Hockney, yesterday.

We were fortunate to welcome Hockney to The Red House during the 1980 Aldeburgh Festival, where a portrait of Peter Pears was commissioned to mark his 70th birthday.

All of us at Britten Pears Arts send our sincere condolences to David Hockney's family and friends. We will continue to cherish his work and influence right across the arts.

Nigel Luckhurst © Britten Pears Arts

Benjamin Britten’s life and music are deeply rooted in Suffolk. Born in Lowestoft and closely connected to Aldeburgh and...
11/06/2026

Benjamin Britten’s life and music are deeply rooted in Suffolk. Born in Lowestoft and closely connected to Aldeburgh and Snape throughout his life, this landscape shaped the place he called home.

Yet travel was also central to his life as a composer. From Florence to Barcelona and beyond, his journeys were rarely restful, instead filled with recitals, performances and new influences that helped shape his music, even when Suffolk remained the place he returned to create.

Read Lucy Walkers’s Britten Abroad: Part One via the link, https://bit.ly/4e4Nni4

Today we mark John Constable’s 250th birthday by recalling Kenneth Clark’s lecture on the English painter at the first A...
11/06/2026

Today we mark John Constable’s 250th birthday by recalling Kenneth Clark’s lecture on the English painter at the first Aldeburgh Festival, 78 years ago today.

10/06/2026

We’re excited to welcome back
on Wednesday 17
June!

Our gardens are in full bloom, ready for summer and waiting to be explored. Set in a beautiful corner of Suffolk, the garden offers a peaceful retreat, and as part of the National Garden Scheme, helps support amazing work in gardens and mental health.

Our brand new garden tickets are available via the link in our bio.



From a friendship formed in 1937 to a lifelong partnership that lasted until Britten’s death in 1976, this Pride Month w...
06/06/2026

From a friendship formed in 1937 to a lifelong partnership that lasted until Britten’s death in 1976, this Pride Month we celebrate the remarkable life and love that Peter Pears’ and Benjamin Britten shared.

📸1- Britten and Pears, Jones Beach, Long Island, c.1940
📸2- The Red House, 1976, Nigel Luckhurst © BPA

This year’s Aldeburgh Festival marks 50 years since Benjamin Britten’s death in 1976.As the former home of Britten and h...
04/06/2026

This year’s Aldeburgh Festival marks 50 years since Benjamin Britten’s death in 1976.

As the former home of Britten and his partner Peter Pears, we’re at the heart of this living history and the perfect place to spend a day during the Festival and discover more about their lives and work.

We’re open every day throughout the Festival, hosting a range of exciting events, including the return of our National Garden Scheme day on Wednesday 17 June and celebrating the first day of summer with solstice yoga on the croquet lawn, overlooking our tranquil gardens on Sunday 21 June.

There are still some tickets available for our Festival events, find out more via the link, https://bit.ly/4x4SEij

On this day 64 years ago, Britten’s War Requiem premiered at Coventry Cathedral, a powerful tribute to those who lost th...
30/05/2026

On this day 64 years ago, Britten’s War Requiem premiered at Coventry Cathedral, a powerful tribute to those who lost their lives in both the First and Second World Wars.

Due to the scale of the work, the performance often required multiple conductors. The premiere featured the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Coventry Festival Chorus, conducted by Meredith Davies, alongside the Melos Ensemble conducted by Britten himself.

Britten chose soloists to represent the nations involved in the conflict: British tenor Peter Pears, German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, and Heather Harper, who stepped in at short notice when the Soviet Minister for Culture disallowed Galina Vishnevskaya to perform.

Address

The Red House, Golf Lane
Aldeburgh
IP155PZ

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+441728451700

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Red House, Aldeburgh posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to The Red House, Aldeburgh:

Shortcuts

Share

Category