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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

Sir Thomas Allen, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:20

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

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus

Simon Woods

Producer