This article places in historical context the three operas written by Alan Ridout for the choir of Canterbury Cathedral during the 1960s. Analysis of these works and their gestation is presented as a microcosm representing wider developments in music education since then. The analysis weaves together personal recollections, authenticated through correspondence with teachers and other alumni involved, combined with the examination of archive material, and with musical and textual analysis. The works themselves remain fresh and worthy of performance today, while the intentions behind them represent a mirror through which the role of musical creativity in contemporary education will be considered.

本文将艾伦·里杜特 (Alan Ridout) 在 20 世纪 60 年代为坎特伯雷大教堂合唱团创作的三部歌剧置于历史背景中。对这些作品及其孕育的分析是代表自那时以来音乐教育更广泛发展的缩影。该分析将个人回忆编织在一起，通过与教师和其他相关校友的通信来验证，并结合档案材料的检查以及音乐和文本分析。这些作品本身在今天仍然新鲜且值得表演，而它们背后的意图则是一面镜子，通过它我们可以思考音乐创造力在当代教育中的作用。