BRITTEN BENJAMIN (1913-1976) English composer & PEARS PETER (1910-1986) English tenor, closely associated (both professionally and personally) with Benjamin Britten. Vintage signed 9.5 x 7.5 photograph by both Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears individually, and further signed by Heather Harper (1930-2019) Northern Irish operatic soprano, also closely associated with Britten?s work. The image depicts Britten, Pears and Harper, accompanied by the conductor Charles Groves and one other gentleman, standing together in three-quarter length poses. Photograph by Gordon Whiting of Liverpool and bearing his credit stamp to the verso. Signed by Britten and Harper in black inks, and by Pears in blue ink, all with their names alone to lighter areas at the head of the image. Some surface and corner creasing, G

The present photograph is believed to have been taken in Liverpool in connection with a performance of Britten?s War Requiem by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on 15th April 1967, and captures Britten with two of the work?s most distinguished interpreters, Peter Pears and Heather Harper. Harper had famously substituted for Galina Vishnevskaya at the work?s world premi?re at Coventry Cathedral in 1962, while Pears had been one of the original soloists; the Liverpool performance thus brought together three figures closely associated with the War Requiem from its inception.