Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

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

5:01

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

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

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, Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

1:57

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

1:29

"What Harbour Shelters Peace" (Peter)

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

1:06

Interlude. Storm

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:20

"Past Time to Close!" (Auntie, Mrs Sedley, Balstrode, Boles, Nieces, Fisherman)

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

4:39

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

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

2:12

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

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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)

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

3:28

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

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

4:42

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

5:03

Interlude II. Passacaglia

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

5:20

"Go There!" (Peter)

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

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)

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Bernard Haitink

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

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

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

2:47

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

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

Bass-Baritone

Simon Woods

Producer