Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

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)

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

Gillian Webster, Patricia Payne, Dame Felicity Lott, Maria Bovino, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 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, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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)

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

2:09

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

Simon Keenlyside, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Neil Jenkins, 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)

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

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, David Wilson-Johnson, Stafford Dean, Bernard Haitink

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

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:34

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano

Simon Woods

Producer