Peter Pears had been specifically composed for the soprano voice. For Pears, Britten composed one of his most popular works, the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings (1943). In early 1943 Pears joined Sadler's Wells Opera Company. His roles included Tamino in "The Magic Flute", Rodolfo in "La bohème", the Duke in "Rigoletto", Alfredo in "La traviata", Almaviva in "The Barber of Seville", Ferrando in "Così fan tutte" and Vašek in "The Bartered Bride". His growing operatic experience and expertise affected the composition of Britten's opera "Peter Grimes". The composer had envisaged the central figure, based on Crabbe's brutal fisherman, as a
Peter Ibbetson (opera) is trying to flirt with Mrs. Deane, and in an aria insists on reciting an "original" poem. Peter joins the party late and brings in the poem, which is actually by Alfred de Musset, exposing his uncle as a fake. The Colonel curses Peter, and there is a tense moment, but the party resumes as Peter and Mrs. Deane become friends. As Peter recounts his melancholy circumstances, a longing theme,which will return many times in the course of the opera, accompanies the words "only you..." Peter tells Mrs. Deane of his childhood friend Mimsey, "toujours mal a la tete" and