English composer Benjamin Britten was born in 1913 and died in 1976. Along with his many operas, his most famous and powerful works include A Midsummer Night's Dream and the War Requiem. However, he may be even better known for much lighter and accessible compositions, A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra and the Ceremony of Carols. He received the Order of Merit in 1965 and in the year of his death was named a life peer.