Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

Bernard Haitink, Dame Felicity Lott, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

Bernard Haitink, Neil Jenkins, Simon Keenlyside, Stafford Dean, 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)

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

2:34

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Stafford Dean

Vocals, Bass Guitar, Bass

Simon Woods

Producer