(2 of 2)
After the first two performances, Britten emplaned for England, where his new opera The Rape of Lucretia opened last month and got even better notices than Peter Grimes. For the U.S. premiere of Lucretia, Britten would like to "bring over the original British company." Actor-producer Eddie (The Glass Menagerie) Dowling hopes to produce Peter Grimes on Broadway since Manhattan's starchy Metropolitan Opera has shown no real interest so far. The Metropolitan stood on history. Up to the era of Benjamin Britten, at least, no English-speaking composer has ever written a first-class grand opera.
*Though 82-year-old Strauss wrote one (Liebe der Danae) in 1944. It has yet to be performed anywhere.