Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

Bernard Haitink, Dame Felicity Lott, 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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Dame Felicity Lott, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

Sir Thomas Allen, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

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)

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
David Wilson-Johnson

Bass-Baritone

Simon Woods

Producer