Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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)

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

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)

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

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)

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

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