Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

1:57

Interlude. Dawn

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

3:19

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

Sir Thomas Allen, Simon Keenlyside, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

1:45

Interlude I. Sunday Morning

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

2:28

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

3:44

Interlude II. Fog

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

2:34

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer