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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

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)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus

Simon Woods

Producer