Britten: Peter Grimes

Britten: Peter Grimes

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

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

1:36

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

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

3:26

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

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

2:13

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

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

5:01

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

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

3:33

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

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

2:56

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

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

2:42

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

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

3:52

"They Listen to Money" (Balstrode, Peter)

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

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

4:39

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

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

1:37

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

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

3:42

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

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

2:18

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

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

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

5:34

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

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

3:28

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

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

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

3:20

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

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

2:01

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

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

3:04

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

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

2:21

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

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

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, Bernard Haitink, Anthony Rolfe Johnson

3:57

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

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

2:09

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

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

3:17

Interlude I. Moonlight

Bernard Haitink, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:21

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

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

2:57

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

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

2:45

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

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

2:50

"Embroidery in Childhood" (Ellen, Balstrode)

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

5:07

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

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

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)

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

5:10

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

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

2:47

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

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

4:28

Benjamin Britten

Composer
Bernard Haitink

Conductor
Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Chorus
Dame Felicity Lott

Soprano
Anthony Rolfe Johnson

Vocals, Tenor

Simon Woods

Producer