Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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)

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

1:36

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

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

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, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Bernard Haitink

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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, Bernard Haitink, Dame Felicity Lott

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

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)

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

2:09

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

Neil Jenkins, Bernard Haitink, Simon Keenlyside, Stafford Dean, 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)

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, 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)

Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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)

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer