This paper explores the performer's vocal and dramatic interpretation of On this Island and Fish in the Unruffled Lakes based on the biographical context of composer Benjamin Britten, and poet W.H. Auden. I argue that these songs are written as a dialogue between Britten and Auden about the exploration of sexual identity and artistic maturation, and that this information is vital for the performer to give a proper interpretation. Both homosexual, Britten and Auden were writing these 1930s songs at a time when homosexuality was illegal in Great Britain. The personal and political anxieties of living a homosexual life are present in the songs, and a storyline of the internal processes of the artists is at hand. The storyline provides a wealth of information for the performer to make choices about vocal coloring, theatrical irony, and dramatic intent. I will demonstrate that these twelve songs are connected through music, text, and biographical context; and that it is imperative that the singer be cognizant of these connections to deliver a proper interpretation.