Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

2:09

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

Stafford Dean, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Neil Jenkins, 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, Gillian Webster, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Stafford Dean, Bernard Haitink, Maria Bovino

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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)

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
David Wilson-Johnson

Bass-Baritone

Simon Woods

Producer