Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Dame Felicity Lott, Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

1993

In a storm-swept fishing village on the east coast of England, the fisherman Peter Grimes is an outsider—a loner who seems to attract trouble. Benjamin Britten’s breakthrough opera is all about atmosphere and sense of place, but it’s also a portrait of a community. And in this compelling 1993 recording from Bernard Haitink and the forces of London’s Royal Opera House, that’s precisely the sense you get: a team of performers thoroughly immersed in Britten’s musical world, singing together as a true ensemble cast. Felicity Lott (Ellen Orford), Thomas Allen (Balstrode) and Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Peter Grimes) were all supreme interpreters of these roles, and with the whole experience captured in pristine sound, you’ll soon hear why one critic described this as an “inspired performance in a superbly lifelike recording”.

"Peter Grimes" (Hobson, Swallow, Peter)

Stafford Dean, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, David Wilson-Johnson, Bernard Haitink

1:36

"You Sailed Your Boat" (Swallow, Peter, Mrs Sedley, Chorus, Hobson, Ellen)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Sarah Walker, Dame Felicity Lott, David Wilson-Johnson, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Stafford Dean, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Bernard Haitink

3:26

"Peter Grimes, I Here Advise You!" (Swallow, Chorus, Hobson, Peter)

Stafford Dean, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Bernard Haitink, David Wilson-Johnson, Chorus of the Royal Opera House

2:13

"The Truth, the Pity" (Peter, Ellen)

Dame Felicity Lott, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson

1:57

Interlude. Dawn

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

3:19

"Oh Hang at Open Doors the Net" (Chorus, First Fisherman, Auntie, Boles, Balstrode, Second Fisherman, Rector, Nieces, Mrs Sedley, Swallow)

Gillian Webster, Stafford Dean, Christopher Lackner, Neil Jenkins, Sir Thomas Allen, Maria Bovino, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Richard Hazell, Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5:01

"Hi! Give Us a Hand" (Peter, Boles, Balstrode, Ned, Auntie, Hobson)

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Patricia Payne, Stuart Kale, David Wilson-Johnson, Sir Thomas Allen, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Simon Keenlyside

3:33

"I Have to Go from Pub" (Hobson, Chorus, Ellen, Ned)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Dame Felicity Lott, Bernard Haitink, David Wilson-Johnson, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Simon Keenlyside

1:57

"Let Her Among You" (Ellen, Hobson, Mrs Sedley, Ned)

Bernard Haitink, David Wilson-Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Dame Felicity Lott, Tom Cregan, Simon Keenlyside, Sarah Walker

2:56

"Look! The Storm Cone!" (Balstrode, Chorus, Ned, Boles)

Bernard Haitink, Simon Keenlyside, Sir Thomas Allen, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:42

"And Do You Prefer the Storm" (Balstrode, Peter)

Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Sir Thomas Allen, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

Bernard Haitink, Sir Thomas Allen, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Bernard Haitink

1:06

Interlude. Storm

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:20

"Past Time to Close!" (Auntie, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Boles, Nieces, Fisherman)

Maria Bovino, Stuart Kale, Bernard Haitink, Gillian Webster, Christopher Lackner, Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Sir Thomas Allen, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:39

"Come on, Boy!" (Balstrode, Chorus)

Sir Thomas Allen, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

2:12

"Have You Heard? The Cliff Is Down" (Ned, Auntie, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Chorus)

Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Sir Thomas Allen, Simon Keenlyside, Chorus of the Royal Opera House

1:37

"Now the Great Bear and Pleiades" (Peter, Chorus, Nieces, Boles, Balstrode, Auntie)

Maria Bovino, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Gillian Webster, Sir Thomas Allen, Patricia Payne, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

3:42

"Old Joe Has Gone Fishing" (Ned, Chorus, Peter)

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Simon Keenlyside, Anthony Rolfe Johnson

2:18

"The Bridge Is Down" (Hobson, Ned, Ellen, Boles, Auntie, Nieces, Peter)

Patricia Payne, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Gillian Webster, Dame Felicity Lott, Maria Bovino, Stuart Kale, David Wilson-Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Simon Keenlyside

1:45

Interlude I. Sunday Morning

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:28

"Glitter of Waves and Glitter of Sunlight" (Ellen, Chorus, Rector)

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Neil Jenkins, Dame Felicity Lott, Chorus of the Royal Opera House

5:34

"Child You're Not Too Young" (Ellen, Chorus, Rector, Peter)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Neil Jenkins, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Dame Felicity Lott

3:28

"This Unrelenting Work" (Ellen, Peter, Chorus)

Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Dame Felicity Lott, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:42

"Fool to Let It Come to This!" (Auntie, Ned, Boles, Chorus, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Lawyer, Swallow, Fisherwoman, Nieces, Rector)

Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Maria Bovino, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Simon Keenlyside, Sir Thomas Allen, Gillian Webster, Karen Robertson, Neil Jenkins, Tom Cregan, Stafford Dean

3:20

"People! No! I Will Speak!" (Boles, Chorus, Balstrode, Rector, Auntie, Ellen)

Patricia Payne, Dame Felicity Lott, Neil Jenkins, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Sir Thomas Allen, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:01

"We Planned That Their Lives" (Ellen, Rector, Mrs Sedley, Boles, Ned, Nieces, Auntie, Balstrode, Hobson, Swallow)

Maria Bovino, Stuart Kale, David Wilson-Johnson, Stafford Dean, Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Simon Keenlyside, Gillian Webster, Sir Thomas Allen, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Dame Felicity Lott, Neil Jenkins

3:04

"Now Is Gossip Put on Trial" (Chorus, Mrs Sedley, Boles, Rector, Ned, Swallow)

Bernard Haitink, Sarah Walker, Neil Jenkins, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Simon Keenlyside, Stafford Dean

2:21

"From the Gutter" (Nieces, Auntie, Ellen)

Maria Bovino, Dame Felicity Lott, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Patricia Payne, Gillian Webster, Bernard Haitink

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson

3:14

"In Dreams I've Built Myself" (Peter)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson

3:57

"Now! Now!" (Chorus, Peter, Boles, Rector, Swallow, Ned)

Stafford Dean, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Neil Jenkins, Simon Keenlyside, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Bernard Haitink

2:09

"Peter Grimes! Nobody There?" (Rector, Swallow, Ned)

Bernard Haitink, Stafford Dean, Neil Jenkins, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Simon Keenlyside

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

"Assign Your Prettiness to Me" (Swallow, Nieces, Ned)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Maria Bovino, Simon Keenlyside, Bernard Haitink, Gillian Webster, Stafford Dean

2:57

"Mister Keene! Can You Spare a Moment" (Mrs Sedley, Ned)

Simon Keenlyside, Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Sarah Walker

2:45

"Come Along, Doctor!" (First Burgess, Burgesses, Rector, Mrs Sedley, Ellen, Balstrode)

Edward Parry, John Winfield, Sir Thomas Allen, Sarah Walker, Neil Jenkins, Dame Felicity Lott, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Jonathan Fisher, Jonathan Coad, Christopher Keyte, Bernard Haitink, Donald Bell

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Dame Felicity Lott, Bernard Haitink, Sir Thomas Allen

5:07

"Mister Swallow! Mister Swallow!" (Mrs Sedley, Auntie, Swallow, Hobson)

Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Stafford Dean, David Wilson-Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

1:59

"Who Holds Himself Apart, Lets Pride Rise" (Chorus)

Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

3:44

Interlude II. Fog

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:34

"Grimes! Grimes! Steady, There You Are" (Chorus, Peter)

Bernard Haitink, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5:10

"Peter, We've Come to Take You Home" (Ellen, Peter, Balstrode)

Sir Thomas Allen, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Dame Felicity Lott, Bernard Haitink

2:47

"To Those Who Pass the Borough" (Chorus, Swallow, Fisherman, Auntie, Boles)

Christopher Lackner, Stafford Dean, Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Patricia Payne, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Stafford Dean

Vocals, Bass Guitar, Bass

Simon Woods

Producer