Snape Maltings, Suffolk, UK.
Snape Maltings is part of Snape, Suffolk, , best known for its concert hall, which is one of the main sites of the annual Aldeburgh Festival. The Maltings is a set of buildings, mostly dating from the 19th century, built on the banks of the River Ore near Snape, Suffolk, England. Its original purpose was the malting of barley for the brewing of beer; local barley, once malted, was sent from here to London and exported to mainland Europe. The Maltings closed in 1960. The buildings have since been partially restored and rebuilt (some remain dilapidated) and converted into shops, galleries, and the concert hall, where part of the world-famous Aldeburgh music festival is held, initiated by Benjamin Britten and run by Aldeburgh Music. The composer Benjamin Britten was inspired by the vast skies and moody seas of the Suffolk coast, and in 1948, along with singer Peter Pears and writer Eric Crozier, he founded the Aldeburgh Festival. Long before arts organisations thought of engaging in education and supporting young artists, Britten and Pears established both. They brought together international stars and emerging talent, including world-renowned figures such as Fischer-Dieskau, Menuhin, Sviatoslav Richter and Rostropovich, and young stars in the making such as Söderström, Perahia and Bream. At first the Festival used local halls and churches but in 1967, Britten and Pears created a permanent home at Snape, 5 miles from Aldeburgh, by converting a Victorian maltings into an 832-seat venue. Within five years Britten and Pears had reclaimed more buildings on the site to establish a centre for talented young musicians. In 2006 Aldeburgh Music purchased Snape Maltings Concert Hall and rehearsal facilities along with redundant maltings buildings. With an investment of around £14 million, these new studios and rehearsal spaces will be available from May 2009. This ‘creative campus’ will become a meeting point for the world’s most talented musicians.
Size: 5127px × 3407px
Location: Snape Suffolk UK
Photo credit: © Clynt Garnham Suffolk / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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