About the Show

Directed by Deborah Warner, with Allan Clayton and Bryn Terfel in Britten’s coastal tragedy.

Set in a tightly woven seaside village, Peter Grimes follows a solitary fisherman accused of causing the death of his young apprentice. Though a court clears him of legal blame, the villagers remain unconvinced. As suspicion and mistrust intensify, Grimes takes on a second boy in a desperate attempt to redeem himself. When tragedy repeats, he descends into guilt and madness, culminating in his final return to the sea.

Tenor Allan Clayton reprises the title role alongside bass-baritone Bryn Terfel and soprano Maria Bengtsson. The production is a co-production with Teatro Real (Madrid), Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, and Opéra National de Paris.

Benjamin Britten’s 1945 opera remains a cornerstone of 20th-century repertoire, distinguished by its dramatic orchestration and psychological depth.

Critic Reviews (4)

"It's unlikely that this powerful outing will mark Warner's production's first and last revival."
Read more

"Grimes is also a work that retains the sheer visceral punch that stunned Sadler’s Wells audiences at its premiere."
Read more

"With Clayton, you don't have to choose between the English-song Grimes of Pears or Rolfe Johnson and the craggy power of a Vickers or Skelton; you get them both."
Read more

"The result is an outstandingly taut ensemble, from Maria Bengtsson's emotional yet practical Ellen Orford, and Bryn Terfel's gruff Balstrode all the way to Barnaby Rea's sneering Hobson."
Read more