Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

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)

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gillian Webster, Patricia Payne, Dame Felicity Lott, 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, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, 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, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Stafford Dean, Neil Jenkins, Simon Keenlyside, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:09

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

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
David Wilson-Johnson

Bass-Baritone

Simon Woods

Producer