This week, a monumental, and monumentally important English opera called Peter Grimes will be featured Thursday, May 14, in the offerings coming to us during this period of live-streamed works from the Met. I want to encourage you to take advantage of this marvelous (and free!) performance.
Information on the Met Streaming
While there isn’t time for me to schedule a Zoom session for this production Peter Grimes, I wanted to share this short podcast I made about it in 2008.
The podcast begins with a bit of background on the Met’s live HD broadcasts (and of course the dates will refer back to the original time of the podcast). But then I cover information about the production and about this touching, thought-provoking work by English composer Benjamin Britten that, unbeknownst to him, launched a new era in opera right as World War II was ending.
The structure of Peter Grimes is unique and fabulous, built around six stretches of arresting orchestral music called “Sea Interludes” that reflect the different phases of the ocean. The depth of theatrical realism achieved by this structure is hard to describe, but you will experience it.
The story itself is both specific to the traditional culture of the English fishing village, and universal to all humanity. It touches on issues of what today we might call social rejection as Grimes faces the doubt, disdain, and wrath of the entire village. There are veiled meanings in the quiet dialogue that, I would say, will not be apparent to children or even to most teens.
In fact, I often recommend this work to teens as a first opera because of its dramatic strength and stark, yet beautiful musical style and natural style of singing.
Plus, it has no pat ending or cutesy anything. Teens tend to appreciate this kind of thoughtful and unexpected theatrical experience. Also, it is, of course, in English, but there will also be supertitles, and you may find that they are helpful.
I hope you will enjoy the podcast below and will be impressed by Peter Grimes.
Photo: Hastings Net Huts, FreeFoto.com
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
