John Piper (artist) - Aldeburgh and Venice - YouTube

It has been suggested that Piper's abstracts take inspiration from the stage and Rentians mentioned Piper's genius for theatrical decor. The concept of buildings being dramatically lit formed part of his visual makeup. Added to this a love of music and we have another of his great collaborations, this time with Benjamin Britten. I gather in other spheres of his activities he was equally keen to cooperate with practitioners of all kinds and in the studio I found him to be a very keen exchanger of information and ideas about what he was hoping to produce. In other words, not unlike a theatrical production, he, John Piper, being the principal involved in the catalyst of the light, but around him are all these other individuals who contribute to the final performance. So it was a teamwork in a sense. Absolutely and I think it led him into the making of stained glass and theatrical work that he was involved in with great ease because he knew people would react to his enthusiasm and he would listen to them and be guided by them on certain issues which would improve the idea that he was trying to put forward. He would be the leader. Britten and Piper worked together on a number of operas, Piper designing the scenery and costumes. The last opera Britten wrote was Death in Venice, libretto by Mifanwy, scenery by Piper. Piper once said of Britten that there was a streak in his character of restrained, it was restrainedly violent or something and that it rather endeared him to him. It seems to me that it's possibly also characteristic in Piper himself. There is a great energy in Piper's work, isn't there? Not physical violence but a sort of violence in the medium almost, I think. Piper designed a memorial window to Britten in St Peter and St Paul, Aldeburgh. The window was made by Patrick Rentians and depicts Britten's three church parables, the prodigal son, Curlew River and the burning fiery furnace.