Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

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)

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

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)

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

3:57

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

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

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)

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

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)

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)

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus

Simon Woods

Producer