Peter Grimes (complete opera)
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BENJAMIN BRITTEN
Peter Grimes (complete opera)
Alan Oke, Giselle Allen, David Kempster / Chorus of Opera North, Chorus of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Britten-Pears Orchestra, Steuart Bed
[ Signum / 2 CD ]
Release Date: Tuesday 20 August 2013
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Britten's powerful and masterful evocation of the North Sea in all its moods has become inextricably linked, to audiences all over the world, with the Aldeburgh that was home to Crabbe in the 18th century and Britten in the 20th. Steuart Bedford leads a vast and accomplished group of performers on this new recording, created shortly before the company performed the work on the beach at Aldeburgh as part of the festival, further celebrating Britten's centenary year, 2013.
"All told, then, this is an outstanding addition to the Peter Grimes discography, worthy to set alongside the finest in the catalogue from Davis, Hickox and, most authoritatively, from Britten himself. Everyone involved rises to the special nature of the occasion and gives of their very best. This is a set to invest in with confidence, and to continue enjoying long after the Britten centenary has passed. The full libretto (in English only) is included in the booklet, together with an essay by Colin Matthews and brief artist biographies. The audience, by the way, is extremely well behaved, so don't be put off that it's a live recording. " (Recording of the Month MusicWeb Aug 2013)
"The final outstanding feature and perhaps the most significant is the vividness of the interplay of characters and integral orchestral contribution. This is the achievement of Steuart Bedford. The passages of recitative between the Borough characters are more animated and conversational than in Britten's recording. Henry Waddington's Swallow is forthright and confident. Though less taunting and aggressive than Owen Brannigan's for Britten, he nevertheless is sufficiently arch to contrast with David Kempster's Balstrode who is more straightforwardly, you might say naturally, authoritative." (Recording of the Month MusicWeb Jan 2014)
"[Bedford] has the sea-swell of the work deep in his bones...[Oke's] is a strong, ballasted performance, less purely plangent than many, but deeply moving in its simple strength and keen imagination...There's much to relish throughout this hand-picked cast." (Five Stars) BBC Music Magazine Awards 2014 - Opera WINNER
