Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

Bernard Haitink, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

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)

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

Patricia Payne, Sarah Walker, Stafford Dean, David Wilson-Johnson, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
David Wilson-Johnson

Bass-Baritone

Simon Woods

Producer