916BTC965965BBM/BTCpetergrimesPeter GrimesOpera in three acts and a prologueop. 33331Stage workJan 1944111810 Feb 19451119

Britten and Pears began sketching the scenario of the opera as early as 1941.

Cast and orchestra

Principals: Peter Grimes ten, Boy, his apprentice silent, Ellen Orford sop, Captain Balstrode bar, Auntie contr, Niece I sop, Niece II sop, Bob Boles ten, Swallow bass, Mrs Sedley mez, Rev Horace Adams ten, Ned Keene bar, Hobson bass, Dr Crabbe* silent.

Chorus: townspeople and fisherfolk

[*Dr Crabbe was renamed 'Dr Thorp' in the original production and the first edition of the vocal score. The character's original name was restored in the second edition.]

Orchestra: 2 fl (=picc), 2 ob (II=ca), 2 cl in B flat and A (II=cl in E flat), 2 bn, dbn - 4 hn, 3 tpt (I, II in C, III in D), 3 trbn, tuba - timp, 2 perc (sd, td, bd, tamb, trgl, cymb, gong, whip, xyl, rattle) - cel, harp - str

Off stage: org, bells, tuba

Off-stage band (members of the orchestra): 2 cl in B flat, perc (cymb, sd, bd), solo vn, solo db, pf (ad lib.)

Montagu Slater, derived from a poem by George Crabbe

Pears, Eric Crozier and Ronald Duncan also contributed to the libretto.

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Prologue & Act I: 54 mins;

Act II: 50 mins;

Act III: 39 mins

'For the Koussevitzky Music Foundation, dedicated to the memory of Natalie Koussevitzky'001945Jan 1944 - 10 Feb 194566450916

Prologue & Act I

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Prologue

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Interlude I

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Scene 1

(The Borough beach and street, The Moot Hall, Boar Inn, Keene's shop, and Church porch are all visible. It is a cold grey morning.)

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Interlude II

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Scene II

(Inside the 'Boar' - the same night. Auntie is admitting Mrs Sedley. The gale is now at hurricane force and they push the door shut with difficulty.)

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Act II

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Interlude III

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Scene 1

(The village street and beach (as before). A fine sunny morning, with church bells ringing. Some of the villagers are standing in a group outside the church door).

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Interlude IV

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Scene 2

(Peter Grimes' hut (an upturned boat with one door, left, opening to the path from the Borough, and another, back centre, to the cliff with a way down to the sea) - later the same morning. The boy staggers through the path door as if thrust from behind. Peter Follows in a towering rage.)

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Act III

3Act0

Interlude V

Scene 1 (The village street and beach a few nights later - dark but moonlit. A dance is taking place in the Moot Hall, and the band can be heard playing a barn dance - loudly and distinctly.)

Interlude VI

Scene 2 (The same scene - some hours later. The stage is quite empty - a thick fog. Fog-horn and the cries of the searchers can be heard distantly.)

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Interlude V

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Scene 1

(The village street and beach a few nights later - dark but moonlit. A dance is taking place in the Moot Hall, and the band can be heard playing a barn dance - loudly and distinctly.)

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Interlude VI

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

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Scene 2

(The same scene - some hours later. The stage is quite empty - a thick fog. Fog-horn and the cries of the searchers can be heard distantly.)

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Peter Pears/ Claire Watson / Geraint Evans / Owen Brannigan / Orchestra & Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Benjamin Britten. (Decca 475 7713). Recording courtesy of Decca Music Group.

1118194019441000000070959011191940194521000000007099956691601001Staged performance7 Jun 19451350Sadler's Wells Theatre, London

Peter Pears Peter Grimes, Joan Cross Ellen Orford, Edith Coates Auntie, Blanche Turner Niece 1, Minnia Bower Niece II, Roderick Jones Balstrode, Valetta Iacopi Mrs Sedley, Tom Culbert The Rector, Frank Vaughan Hobson, Saša Machov Dr Crabbe, Leonard Thompson Boy, chorus and orchestra of the Sadler's Wells Opera Company

Eric Crozier prod, Kenneth Green design, Reginald Goodall cond

0135019401945670000000710112915BTC964964BBM/BTCsoundthetrumpetPurcell: Sound the trumpet, Z 323/3 [HP Six duets/1]For high and low voices and piano1Purcell realizationpre 1 Dec 19441117Probably Nahum Tate2.0001944pre 1 Dec 1944917BTC966966BBM/BTCturnthinePurcell: Turn then thine eyes, Z 425 [HP seven songs/3]For high or medium voice and piano1Purcell realizationpre 13 March 19451120Anon.1.0001945pre 13 March 19451187BTC965.19651BBM/seainterludesFour sea interludes from 'Peter Grimes'For orchestra1OrchestralSymphony orchestraSpring 194515122 fl (=picc), 2 ob, 2 cl in A and B flat (II=E flat), 2 bn, dbn - 4 hn, 3 tpt (I, II in C, III in D), 3 trbn, tuba - timp, 2 perc (sd, bd, cymb, gong, xyl, bells in E flat and B flat, tamb) - harp - str16.0

The interludes (with adjustments to the endings for concert performances) are taken from the opera. See individual movements for further details.

001945Spring 19451188BTC965.29652BBM/passacaglia_grimesPassacaglia from 'Peter Grimes'For orchestra1OrchestralSymphony orchestraca. Jun 19451513ca. Jul 194515142 fl (II=picc), 2 ob, 2 cl in B flat, 2 bn, dbn - 4 hn, 3 tpt (I, II in C, III in D), 3 trbn, tuba - timp, 2 perc (sc, td, bd, cymb, t-t, gong, tamb) - cel, harp - str7.0

The Passacaglia precedes Act II, scene 2 of Peter Grimes and has a modified ending for concert performance.

001945 Jun - Jul 19451189BTC965.39653BBM/hangatopenOh, hang at open doors the netFor voices (two parts) and piano1Vocal2 solo with pianoca. summer 19651515Montagu Slater, derived from a poem by George Crabbe

This extract is from Act I, scene 1 after figure 13). The accompaniment is from the vocal score, but the brief piano postlude was specially composed by Britten.

001965ca. summer 1965