Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Sir Thomas Allen, 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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

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

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)

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

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)

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer