Benjamin Britten based on a theme from Britten's Piano Concerto. Works commemorating Britten include "Cantus in Memoriam Benjamin Britten" an orchestral piece written in 1977 by Arvo Pärt, and Sally Beamish's "Variations on a Theme of Benjamin Britten", based on the second Sea Interlude from "Peter Grimes"; she composed the work to mark Britten's centenary. Alan Bennett depicts Britten in a 2009 play "The Habit of Art", set while Britten is composing "Death in Venice" and centred on a fictional meeting between Britten and Auden. Britten was played in the premiere production by Alex Jennings. Tony Palmer made three documentary films about
The Prodigal Son (Britten) The Prodigal Son (Britten) The Prodigal Son is an opera by Benjamin Britten with a libretto by William Plomer. Based on the Biblical story of the Prodigal Son, this was Britten's third "parable for church performance", after "Curlew River" and "The Burning Fiery Furnace". Britten dedicated the score to Dmitri Shostakovich. The first performance took place on 10 June 1968 in St Bartholomew's Church, Orford, Suffolk. The instrumentalists included the horn player Neill Sanders and the percussionist James Blades. Colin Graham was the stage director. The United States premiere was presented at the Caramoor Summer Music Festival on June 29,