Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

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, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer