Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

3:14

"In Dreams I've Built Myself" (Peter)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

Bernard Haitink, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer