Peter Grimes or ambiguous the various characters are. Pears was certainly the intended Peter Grimes, and it is likely that Britten wrote the role of Ellen Orford for Joan Cross. The work has been called "a powerful allegory of homosexual oppression", and one of "the true operatic masterpieces of the 20th century", but the composer's own contemporary (1948) summation of the work was simpler: a subject very close to my heart — the struggle of the individual against the masses. The more vicious the society, the more vicious the individual. Though as the writing of the libretto progressed, certain versions showed Grimes'
Peter Winter 1803, "Il ratto di Proserpina" in 1804 (both to libretti by Lorenzo Da Ponte), and "Zaira" in 1805, with great success. "Maometto" (1817) is probably his most famous opera, still performed sometimes and it exists in an excellent recording on CD. His last opera, "Der Sänger und der Schneider", was produced in 1820 at Munich, where he died. Besides his dramatic works he composed concertos for wind and orchestra and some sacred music, including 26 masses. Peter Winter Peter Winter (baptized 28 August 1754 – 17 October 1825) was a German opera composer who followed Mozart and preceded Weber, acting