Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh Beach

Reading the reviews of this production when it was performed live on Aldeburgh beach, it seems that the audience had an unforgettable experience although they had to suffer everything that the North Sea could throw at them in the process. This film of the production was shot in fairly calm weather although the sky still looks menacing and the sea has a lovely pink glow as the sun gets low. The orchestra is prerecorded and there is no sign of an audience although the DVD publicity claims that it was filmed during the three live performances. The soloists wear heavy-duty mikes but the chorus are unmiked. I am not sure whether they are miming or singing along to their own recording. There also seems to be some doctoring of the climatic conditions: when someone sings "It looks like there's a storm coming" we see the clouds start to race across the sky. I've no idea how this was done.

However it was done, the overall effect is quite brilliant. It is the best version of Peter Grimes that I have ever seen and it really tells the story in a way that I have never appreciated before. The set is a fairly abstract, jumble of jetties and boats. The costumes are updated to the 1940's but I did not even notice that till halfway through. Alan Oke gives a definitive performance as Grimes, both vocally and dramatically. In a strong cast Giselle Allen as Ellen Orford and David Kempster as Balstrode also stand out. The choruses are outstanding, whether or not they are mimed. There were old favourites such as Old Joe Has Gone Fishing and Grimes Is At His Exercise but I was struck more than ever before by how melodic and attainable this opera is in its entirety.

While all of Britten's operas are worth hearing and seeing more than once, Peter Grimes has always been my personal favourite, for the haunting music, the most layered story of his operas, the complex characters (especially the title role) and an atmosphere that to me none of his operas have as effectively. Of the five DVD productions seen (this, Peter Pears, Met, Langridge and Vickers), all five ranging from good to outstanding, this production is the most interesting and a close third place to Pears and Langridge.

Visually, the production looks wonderful, with its only criticism (and my only real criticism of the production), being the slightly clumsy and over-the-top use of CGI clouds. Aldeburgh Beach, the inspiration setting for the opera, is used with such atmosphere and authenticity and definitely adds to the experience rather than distracting from it, and the sets and costumes match the austerity of the opera very well. Striking in particular was the beautifully realised and splendidly evocative Sea Interludes. The staging conveys all the layers of the opera's story and even more, the tormented but temperamental characterisation of Grimes, the touching relationship between him and Ellen Orford and the chilling intensity of the chorus (like a mob in the last act) being high points.

Musically, this is a superb performance. Britten's music has huge amounts of atmosphere all on its own, and it's brought out to beautiful and haunting effect by the orchestral playing, especially in the Sea Interludes and much of the last act. The chorus sing with a very full and well-balanced sound, and their contrast from ordinary village life to a chillingly brutal mob-like chorus is very powerfully conveyed. The conducting is alive to dramatic intensity and nuance, always sympathetic towards the performers and the pacing of the story, allowing the atmosphere to fully come through, but does a great job bringing the drama alive. The sound quality is mostly good, and has a real authenticity in the dramatic moments but does occasionally sound muffled in Act 2, possible wind interference perhaps.

The principal performances are never less than great, and never seem fazed by any weather problems (as someone who has been to Aldeburgh I do know that the wind can sometimes be quite strong). Alan Oke is superb in the title role of Peter Grimes, his voice fills the music in a thrilling but never unpleasant way and his acting is intensely moving, Peter's temperament sometimes even frightening but never overdone. Giselle Allen has some occasional thinness at the top in Act 2, but overall sings with a lovely, gleaming tone and acts Allen with a dutiful charm and poignancy. David Kempster is a very powerfully sung and authoritative in demeanour Captain Balstrode.

In conclusion, maybe not the definitive Peter Grimes but definitely not one to forget in the long run. 9/10 Bethany Cox