I start with a confession: I am no longer a Britten virgin. Despite all my years of going to WNO productions I had never seen a Britten, not even their recently acclaimed Death in Venice. In part this was because Britten did not appeal to me, so I was both curious and trepidatious to see their new production of Peter Grimes at the Millennium Centre on Tuesday evening (directed by Melly Still and conducted by Tomáš Hanus).
It is no spoiler to say that the opera (first staged in London in 1945, and based on a poem by George Crabbe written in 1810, The Borough) opens with a death, that of a young boy who has been apprenticed to fisherman Peter Grimes. The plot revolves around what has happened to this boy, and how a new boy from the workhouse will fare under Peter. The community is suspicious, though Peter has his defenders, while some locals distance themselves from getting involved.
In this new production the eponymous Peter is played by Nicky Spence, and judging by the audience reaction at the end he was a big hit. For me however his performance was too mannered, and I enjoyed far more the parts of the opera when Peter is off stage and the other characters can come to the fore, bringing out the desires, compromises and hypocrisies of the community. Particularly notable are the widowed school mistress Ellen Orford, who defends and supports Peter (they plan to marry), and Captain Balstrode, a retired naval officer. Both are played and sung superbly, by Sally Matthews and David Kempster. Making an impression also were Dame Sarah Connolly as Auntie, who runs a local pub, and Dominic Sedgwick as Ned Keene, an apothecary who assists Peter.
There were in fact a huge number of performers on the stage, the chorus being out in force, and this really lends power to the sense of the seaside community. A striking moment of calm and reflection was provided by the all-women scene shared by Auntie, her two nieces and Ellen, singing together of their relationships with men (and most of the men do seem toxic).
Welcome too was the element of local boys who observe, dance and shift scenery, though for some reason they are all played by women, as are the two boys who work for Peter.
The real star of the show for me was the inventive and atmospheric staging. A suspended boat and an expanding and contracting frame make for dramatic visuals, assisted by lighting and other elements (the chairs sinking in sand were very striking).
There was an 80s vibe too, especially in the costumes of Auntie’s two nieces. All credit must go to the director and her team. While I remain no Britten fan this is clearly a production not to be missed, a dark tale redolent of Frankenstein, David Lynch and the League of Gentlemen.
