Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus

Simon Woods

Producer