Britten as a Boy
| Britten as a Boy | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Britten as a Boy (2025) | |
| Artist | Ian Rank-Broadley |
| Year | 2025 |
| Medium | Bronze |
| Subject | Benjamin Britten |
| Location | |
| Website | https://www.brittenasaboy.com/ |
Britten as a Boy is a statue of Benjamin Britten in Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, completed in 2025. It depicts Britten as a teenager looking out to the North Sea, at the age at which his musical talents were first discovered by Frank Bridge[1].
It was sculpted by Ian Rank-Broadley, who was chosen due to his excellent previous catalogue of sculpture in the medium of bronze.[2]
The statue is situated at Lord Kitchener's Garden in the Kirkley Cliff area of South Lowestoft.[3] It is located close to his childhood home and the school which he had attended as a child. The pose is intended to evoke Britten looking out of his bedroom window, which inspired his work[4].
The campaign to fund the statue began in April 2022.[3] The cost of the statue and its installation was £120,000.[3]
It was unveiled on 10 November 2025 by English composer John Rutter.[5][3]
What Bliss is Home
A newly-composed song "What Bliss is Home"[6], with music by composer Ben Parry and lyrics by Zeb Soanes, was performed at the unveiling ceremony.[3][5] Both composer and lyricist have a link to the county of Suffolk where Britten was born. Parry was born in Ipswich[7], and Soanes in Lowestoft.
References
- ↑ "Britten as a Boy Statue". Britten as a Boy Statue. 2025-10-01. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
- ↑ Boggis, Mark (30 April 2022). "Unique new statue of Britten as a Boy 'can inspire generations'". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Boggis, Mark (2 October 2025). "Special guest to mark statue unveiling on Lowestoft seafront". Lowestoft Journal. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- ↑ "Britten as a Boy". Ian Rank-Broadley. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
- 1 2 Cullingford, Martin (2 October 2025). "Benjamin Britten statue to be unveiled by Sir John Rutter". Gramophone. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
- ↑ Ben Parry - Topic (2025-10-06). What Bliss Is Home. Retrieved 2025-12-21 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Ben Parry". Opera-Arias.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.