 The Aldeburgh Festival was launched in June 1948, with Britten, Pears and Crozier directing it.For the inaugural festival, "Albert Herring" played at the Jubilee Hall, and Britten's new cantata "Saint Nicolas", was presented in the parish church, with Pears as the tenor soloist.The festival was an immediate success and became an annual event that has continued into the 21st century.