Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

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)

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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)

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

3:57

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

Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Simon Keenlyside, Stafford Dean, 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)

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

3:44

Interlude II. Fog

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:34

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer