Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

Dame Felicity Lott, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

Stuart Kale, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Patricia Payne, Bernard Haitink, Dame Felicity Lott, 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)

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

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