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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

Bernard Haitink, Stafford Dean, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

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

2:47

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

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