Britten's Children

Benjamin Britten was one of the greatest composers of the 20th Century, particularly in terms of the music that he wrote for and about children. In many ways Britten never stopped being a boy. Throughout his life Britten was close to children and had friendships with young boys. In this film Britten's world of childhood and the music it inspired are explored and some of the boys who were close to Britten talk for the first time about their relationships with him.

The late David Hemmings began his stage career as the boy Miles in Britten's opera The Turn of the Screw in 1954: in his last major interview, Hemmings discusses the time he spent with Britten. And the German schoolboy whom the 24-year-old composer fell in love with shortly before the Second World War talks about their relationship for the first time, after 65 years.