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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, 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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

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)

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

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

1:59

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

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

3:44

Interlude II. Fog

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:34

"Grimes! Grimes! Steady, There You Are" (Chorus, Peter)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

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