Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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)

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

3:14

"In Dreams I've Built Myself" (Peter)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

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

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus

Simon Woods

Producer