Peter Grimes at Theater an der Wien

As Benjamin Britten was staying during the Second World War in the United States, he longed to be back to England and found in George Crabbe's verse novel The Borough a substance which especially him at this moment
touched. Crabbe told it by a small, fictional fishing village in Suffolk, the area in which Britten was at home. Back in England composed Britten's Peter Grimes in 1944/45 to a libretto by Montagu Slater motifs from Crabbe's book. After the premiere of the opera in the Sadler's Wells Theatre in London as Britten was enthusiastically celebrated "new Purcell". Britten had, "shine, freedom and vivacity to renew the English music that were lost since Purcell's death" his stated goal achieved. Masterfully managed Britten the presentation of the village people, the mood of the collective and the individual figures. The ambivalent figure of internally torn Peter Grimes was the first of many games, which he wrote for his life partner, the tenor Peter Pears. The action and the mental processes are deepened by several symphonic interludes that evoke musically overwhelming dawn, storm, Sunday morning atmosphere and a moon over the ocean. Peter Grimes has become his distinctive musical expression and captivating timbres to a central repertoire piece.

The fisherman Peter Grimes is an outsider in his village. He is suspected of torturing his apprentice. Since a has come to death under mysterious circumstances, there is an investigation, but you can Grimes
prove anything. Only the teacher Ellen Orford keeps the odd fisherman. Although we have advised him of Grimes resumes a boy to live with him. The villagers watched him and the boy suspicious again created suspicion. Ellen wants to help, but Grimes forbids their meddling. Monitoring through the village torments the fishermen, he dreams of peace. When he has to fear that the villagers lynch him, it comes again to a fatal accident, the boy falls down the cliff. Now Grimes is chased fortiori. The former captain Balstrode recommends Grimes, out to sea and down to immerse themselves with his own ship.