Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

1:06

Interlude. Storm

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:20

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

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

3:14

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

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Stafford Dean

Vocals, Bass Guitar, Bass

Simon Woods

Producer