Having shown us the grim and nasty side of Aldeburgh life at the beginning of the 19th century in Peter Grimes, Britten had fun with its parochial aspects at the end of the century in his comic opera Albert Herring, a tale of a motherdominated shop assistant elected May King because of his virtue, and who is slipped a laced drink at his crowning and goes off for a night on the tiles, after which he asserts himself. For some tastes, it's proved too parochial; some who otherwise admire the composer are repelled by its self-regarding whimsicality. The possible cure for these people is to listen to Britten's own recording, here marvellously transferred to CD and showing again what a genius the producer John Culshaw was. Britten finds all the humour in the piece, but he gives it a cutting-edge and is totally successful in conveying the proximity of comedy to tragedy in the remarkable ensemble where Albert is thought to have been killed.
With the English Chamber Orchestra on peak form, all kinds of Bergian echoes in the score are revealed and some, too, of Verdi's Falstaff (Act 3). There's also Sir Peter Pears's brilliant performance as Albert, a genuine piece of perceptive singing-acting. The cast is well-nigh ideal.
If only Britten had written more comic operas.

Britten's own 1964 recording of the comic opera, Albert Herring, remains a delight. Peter Pears' portrait of the innocent Albert is full of unique touches. Sylvia Fisher is a magnificant Lady Billows. The recording remains astonishingly vivid.