Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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, Stuart Kale, David Wilson-Johnson, Bernard Haitink, Simon Keenlyside

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Stafford Dean, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

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)

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano

Simon Woods

Producer