Peter Grimes

  • 2012/2013 Season
  • [New Production]
    Benjamin Britten : Peter Grimes
    Opera in 3 Acts
    Sung in English with Japanese Supertitles

    *Clik here for mini-site of"Peter Grimes"
    (Only Japanese version available)

  • OPERA HOUSE



  • PERFORMANCES

    2012
    Oct.2581114
    TueFriMonThuSun
    6:30
         		6:30
    *    		2:00
    *    		2:00
         		2:00
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2013 marks the centenary of the birth of Benjamin Britten, who is counted among the greatest opera composers of the 20th century. The NNTT Opera's third season under Artistic Director Otaka Tadaaki will open with Peter Grimes. There is much greater emphasis on the dramatic elements in Britten's work as compared to that of other British composers. Of the many operas he composed, his second, Peter Grimes, is often regarded as his finest; it is also one that the Japanese people can easily relate to. The opera is set in a fishing village, and depicts the protagonists living in an insular community and the cruelty of their fates. In talking about the tale, Otaka Tadaaki has said that although it can be easy to see Peter Grimes as a villain, in fact it is the villagers around him who are the problem. We can draw parallels between the opera and the life of the composer himself; for roughly half his life, Britten lived in a committed relationship with his partner (tenor Peter Pears) in Aldeburgh in the eastern county of Suffolk, England. So Britten, too, suffered the stares of a disapproving society.
This will be the first British Opera performed at the NNTT. Singing the title role will be Stuart Skelton, a Heldentenor who has performed in theatres around the world. English soprano Susan Gritton will sing the role of Ellen, the only character who understands Peter. Ms. Gritton has made the role part of her repertoire. A fine cast of international and Japanese singers will round out the ensemble. Another element that is sure to impress is Willy Decker's production design. Decker's production of Die Soldaten (The Soldiers) caused a sensation when it played at the NNTT in 2008. The stage settings, costumes and props for Peter Grimes will be rented from the Théatre Royal de la Monnaie in Belgium. Otaka Tadaaki has said he feels that, of the many productions of Peter Grimes, this one in particular (which premiered in 1994) best conveys the complexities of the work. Conductor Ono Kazushi received favorable notice for his performance in the 2004 production of Peter Grimes at La Monnaie, at which he was serving as musical director at the time. The opera was performed at the Royal Opera House in London in July that year, and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production in 2005.

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