Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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)

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

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, Sarah Walker, Gillian Webster, Sir Thomas Allen, Maria Bovino, Patricia Payne, Bernard Haitink, Christopher Lackner, Stuart Kale

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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)

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra 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)

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

5:10

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

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

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, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Stuart Kale

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Orchestra
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano

Simon Woods

Producer