Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Dame Felicity Lott, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

1:36

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

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

"Fool to Let It Come to This!" (Auntie, Ned, Boles, Chorus, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Lawyer, Swallow, Fisherwoman, Nieces, Rector)

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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)

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

2:09

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

Bernard Haitink, Neil Jenkins, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

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)

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

1:59

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer