Benjamin Britten wrote much of his vocal music and main operatic roles for his friend Peter Pears. Langridge had the same sort of lyrical tenor voice as Pears, and he became famous for his singing of Britten’s music, e.g. the title role in "Peter Grimes", Peter Quint in "The Turn of the Screw", Captain Vere in "Billy Budd" and Aschenbach in "Death in Venice".