JADAR

★★★★☆

Peter Grimes is a quintessentially British tale, centring around an outsider fisherman shunned by a gossiping rural community. It’s a story about how gossip creates monsters. Inspired by George Crabbe’s poem The Borough, Benjamin Britten created his first fully fledged English opera, debuting in 1945 to critical acclaim.

The opera follows fisherman Peter Grimes (John Findon), whose life is turned upside down after the death of his young apprentice. Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, the suspicious townsfolk brand him a villainous child-murder, isolating and attacking him. His sole hope lies in Ellen Orford (Philippa Boyle), the one villager that believes in him and his dream of a better life. With another tragedy on the horizon and Peter’s outbursts becoming more frequent, our faith is put to the test… Is Peter a hardened criminal or a victim of circumstances (albeit a neglectful and violent one)?

Judging Peter are a slew of amusing characters. There’s the flirty charmer Ned Keene (Johannes Moore), the trusting captain (Simon Bailey), the pub-owner Auntie (Hilary Summers), the mischievous nieces (Nazan Fikret & Ava Dodd), the true-crime fanatic Mrs Sedley (Claire Pascoe), and many more.

Britten’s score is awe-inspiring, the swelling orchestra and repeated motifs evoking the crashing waves and brewing storm constantly in the background of communal life. Throughout the opera, dissonant eerie notes insidiously creep through up-beat and hopeful melodies, violent percussive outbursts and short staccato notes creating a sense of discomfort as the walls close in on Peter.  

Act one has a vibrant variety of bassy folk fisherman shanties and glorious ensemble numbers with interweaving phrases and flowing harmonies. Act two introduces church music with background choral hymns culminating into haunting mob chants by act three. It’s a startling number with beheaded scarecrows, fiery torches, numerous weapons, and blood-thirsty expressions. The terror is heightened by harrowing blows duplicitously resembling a foghorn and a hunting horn. Contrasting this are the soft dreamy arias and duets from Grimes and Ellen, their poignant desire adding depth to their complicated characters. Findon’s raw yearning, dulcet tones and agile vocals pairs beautifully with Boyle’s soaring melodies. Their strength during numerous a capella songs was something to behold.

It would be a crime not to acknowledge the beauty of act 2’s female quartet, uniting the mellifluous parroting nieces, the headstrong auntie, and the heartbroken Ellen after the mob begins.

All in all, Britten produced a well-paced, stirring piece.

Anthony Ward’s staging is aptly stark with dreary washed backdrops and various uses of everyday objects like pallets, nets and chains perfectly suited to the coastal setting. The netting was used as boundaries for the pub and as a representation of the storm with shaking and lighting effects bringing it to life. Additionally, it also becomes a symbol of the community, women cheerfully repairing fishing net in act one and three while Peter is outcast on the other side. Meanwhile the pallets were used to create many of the show’s structures, flipped around the create pub walls, wooden floors, courtrooms, and a levitated hut- all constructed before our very eyes.

On the downside, there were a couple of short motifs that became a tad irritating and a few awkward transitions (including the long silent pause in the finale). Additionally, there was a scream and slow-motion fall that felt so exaggerated that I couldn’t help but stifle a giggle or two. All minor notes for an otherwise fantastic show.

If you’re looking for a powerful opera to sink your teeth into, Peter Grimes is the one! It’s dark, menacing, powerful and poignant. The setting and tale are fascinatingly bleak with a tight-knit community that’s  both amusing and terrifyingly realistic.

Catch it before it sets sail!

Opera North’s Peter Grimes tours the UK until March 20.

Photo: James Glossop