Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

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)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

3:14

"In Dreams I've Built Myself" (Peter)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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