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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

3:14

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

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

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)

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

3:44

Interlude II. Fog

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:34

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
David Wilson-Johnson

Bass-Baritone

Simon Woods

Producer