Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus

Simon Woods

Producer