Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Dame Felicity Lott, 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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Simon Keenlyside, Sir Thomas Allen, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

3:14

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

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

3:44

Interlude II. Fog

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

2:34

"Grimes! Grimes! Steady, There You Are" (Chorus, Peter)

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

5:10

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

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

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, Patricia Payne, Bernard Haitink, Christopher Lackner, Stafford Dean

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer