The Sea Interludes are a concert favorite. And the many Met broadcasts with Jon Vickers made PETER GRIMES overwhelming. I saw Vickers do his last Grimes in 1983 and he got a wild audience reception with Colin Davis as conductor. Thrilling and unforgettable.
Full disclosure - I wrote my undergrad Senior Thesis on Montagu Slater's development of the libretto from Crabbe's original and how Britten changed Slater's libretto and then the meaning of it by his musical setting of it. Peter Grimes has held a special place in my heart for 40 years, especially the Vickers/Harper recording. I prefer Vickers in this role over Pears because he brings a lyricism to it, and a pathos, that are heart wrenching. He makes us think about how bad people are not wholly bad and good people are not wholly good and how soul crushing life can be (not least of which for orphans). But ... I LOVE that you wrote about Ellen's part. Heather Harper's performance of Ellen was my introduction to her singing. She is IMO one of the great British sopranos (along with Jennifer Vyvyan and Felicity Lott), and I've been a fan since. Her recording os Strauss' Four Last Songs and Orchestral Leider is a favorite.
Kudos on this one. I had a lot going on, did not feel 'in the mood for a more modern period opera that I don't know. Then clicked on your 'Embroidery in Childhood' selection and was blown away. Completely drawn in.
The Sea Interludes are a concert favorite. And the many Met broadcasts with Jon Vickers made PETER GRIMES overwhelming. I saw Vickers do his last Grimes in 1983 and he got a wild audience reception with Colin Davis as conductor. Thrilling and unforgettable.
Full disclosure - I wrote my undergrad Senior Thesis on Montagu Slater's development of the libretto from Crabbe's original and how Britten changed Slater's libretto and then the meaning of it by his musical setting of it. Peter Grimes has held a special place in my heart for 40 years, especially the Vickers/Harper recording. I prefer Vickers in this role over Pears because he brings a lyricism to it, and a pathos, that are heart wrenching. He makes us think about how bad people are not wholly bad and good people are not wholly good and how soul crushing life can be (not least of which for orphans). But ... I LOVE that you wrote about Ellen's part. Heather Harper's performance of Ellen was my introduction to her singing. She is IMO one of the great British sopranos (along with Jennifer Vyvyan and Felicity Lott), and I've been a fan since. Her recording os Strauss' Four Last Songs and Orchestral Leider is a favorite.
Vickers sang full-out with lighning and thunder whch came through on the Met radio broadcasts and in person.
Unfortunately, the recent Met production was a disaster.
Kudos on this one. I had a lot going on, did not feel 'in the mood for a more modern period opera that I don't know. Then clicked on your 'Embroidery in Childhood' selection and was blown away. Completely drawn in.