Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

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)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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)

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Stafford Dean

Vocals, Bass Guitar, Bass

Simon Woods

Producer