Image: Snape Maltings - © Copyright Jon Hopkins and licensed for reuse (www.geograph.org.uk)
Located in the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the town of Aldeburgh is famous for its popular Blue Flag beach and the Snape Maltings arts complex. The Maltings is a collection of buildings that were originally used in the barley malting process for the production of beer. They date from the 1800s but in 1967 the site was transformed into a concert hall and now features a collection of shops, galleries and restaurants. The initial renovation of the Maltings concert hall was finished and ready to be opened in time for the 20th annual Aldeburgh Festival.
First created by composer Benjamin Britten in 1948, along with Peter Pears and Eric Crozier, the Aldeburgh Festival was to be a modest event featuring a programme of opera productions. New works by Britten were featured almost every year right up to his death in 1976. The festival incorporates visual arts too and there are a number of exhibitions to enjoy.
In recent years, the festival has retained its close-knit feel, but has certainly grown and expanded into something that calls to music-lovers across the world. As well as the Snape Mailings Concert Hall, music venues include from the same churches and halls used when the festival first came to Aldeburgh. There are also more abstract performances - in 2013 Britten’s great opera Peter Grimes was performed on the very place which inspired it; Aldeburgh beach.
The festival often includes works by classic composers such as Beethoven, Wagner, Mozart and Schubert. A large amount of emphasis is placed on new interpretation and rediscovery and this year's performers include George Benjamin, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and the Monteverdi Choir. Free live music will be taking place every day on the Bandstand Beach Stage as well as walks, talks, films and exhibitions.
This year's festival is running from the 12th - 28th June 2015 and you can find the full list of what's on each day here.