Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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, Gillian Webster, Sir Thomas Allen, Richard Hazell, Christopher Lackner, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Stafford Dean, Neil Jenkins, Maria Bovino, Stuart Kale, Chorus 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, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Simon Keenlyside, Stuart Kale, David Wilson-Johnson

3:33

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

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

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

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)

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

1:59

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

Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink, 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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Stafford Dean

Vocals, Bass Guitar, Bass

Simon Woods

Producer