Benjamin Britten – Montagu Slater
Peter Grimes
A storm is rising
Fisherman Peter Grimes’ apprentice has died at sea under unclear circumstances. The inquest acquits Grimes, but in the eyes of the villagers he remains guilty, marked by his reputation within the community.
Benjamin Britten’s stark opera is both a tribute to the sea and an intense psychological drama. Peter Grimes shows how a community of ordinary people, when thrown into turmoil, turns against an individual perceived as different.
The realistic staging transports the audience to a small English coastal village on the edge of a rough, violent sea. Peter Grimes is particularly well known for its powerful choral scenes, which allow the Chorus of the Finnish National Opera to shine at its mightiest.
”Even if an individual has morals, a mob does not. A mob is controlled by a collective unconscious, the suppressed aggression of which is continuously looking for a target. A certain group or individual will always provide an outlet for it. This is how the greatest tragedies in human history have always emerged.”
– Director David Radok
Tickets and performances
Synopsis
Fisherman Peter Grimes’ apprentice has died at sea. The inquest concludes that the death was an accident, but Grimes is advised not to take on a new apprentice. Though Grimes has been ruled not guilty, in the eyes of the villagers he remains at fault.
Read longer synopsis
Despite the community’s condemnation, Grimes does not want to leave the small fishing village. He wants to stay where his roots are, to earn back people’s respect, and to marry Ellen, the woman he loves.
Soon he recruits a new apprentice, but a terrible misfortune follows: at his house, Grimes has opened a hatch leading down to the boat, and the boy falls in. The villagers are furious and blame Grimes for yet another boy’s death, while Ellen tries to protect him. The captain urges Grimes to sail away and drown himself.
As dawn breaks, the village slowly comes to life again. Judge Swallow announces that a ship is sinking far out at sea. No one says or does anything. A new day begins.
A full synopsis and background information are available in the program booklet.
Gallery
Benjamin Britten’s breakthrough
creative team
- Music
- Benjamin Britten
- Libretto
- Montagu Slater
- Director
- David Radok
- Set and Costume Design
- Tazeena Firth
- Costume Design
- Tazeena Firth
- Lighting Design
- Kimmo Ruskela
- Conductor
- Dima Slobodeniouk
cast
- Ellen Orford
- Maria Bengtsson
Performance-specific soloists are published in the performance listing.
Listen to Peter Grimes
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The keys to an entertaining evening
The performance takes place on our Main Stage, which has no fewer than 1,300 seats in its auditorium. Please note that the 3rd balcony is very high up. It provides an impressive view, but the front-row seats on this level may not suit those with a fear of heights. Explore the Main Stage and find out more about where to sit. You can also compare the view from different parts of the auditorium.
Price categories: Seats in the auditorium are priced according to the view of the stage and divided into eight price categories (A–H). In addition to seat location, the price is affected by the performance date and demand. Only standard-priced tickets are available in the lowest price categories (F–H).
Discounts
Discounts are available for selected productions, performances, and seats in the Stalls and the 1st and 2nd Balconies, unless otherwise indicated.
- Pensioners: €10 discount per ticket for selected seats in the Stalls and the 1st Balcony. The discount is available to all holders of the card for national pension recipients and anyone aged 65 or over.
- Students, military and non-military servicemen: 40% discount on the full ticket price.
- Children and those aged 20 and under: 40–50% discount on the full ticket price.
- Same-day tickets: A special rate of €30 per ticket is available for those aged 20 and under, students, military and non-military servicemen, the unemployed, and pensioners. The discount applies to seats in the Stalls, no earlier than 12 hours before the performance and subject to availability.
Please note that full-price and concessionary tickets for under-20s, students, and pensioners can be exchanged in our online store free of charge up to 24 hours before the performance. The value of the ticket(s) is credited to your customer account for later use.
Children and young people up to the age of 20 are eligible for a 40–50% discount on ticket prices.
Please note that children under the age of 5 are not admitted to Main Stage performances. The age recommendation for each production can be found at the top of its dedicated page.
For the best view, we recommend seats in the front Stalls or the centre of the 1st Balcony. If you’re unsure which seats would be most suitable, our customer service team will be happy to help you find the best options.
To ensure an enjoyable and memorable visit, see our Visiting with children page for more tips.
You can easily purchase accessible seats either through our online store or customer service. On the auditorium map, you can check the locations of accessible seats in the Main Stage auditorium (pdf). The accessible seats are marked with wheelchair icons to make choosing your seat easier.
Read more detailed instructions for purchasing accessible seats and ensure your visit is effortlessly enjoyable from start to finish.
The programme booklet provides background information about the production, its creators, and the story. It is published on the day of the premiere and can be purchased before the performance from the customer service desk in the Töölönlahti lobby, the sales desk at the Mannerheimintie entrance, all open counters of the Opera Restaurant, and selected members of our lobby staff. The price of the programme booklet is €7.
You can also buy the programme booklet in advance from our customer service desk or online via the Order refreshments page. See more detailed instructions here on how to purchase the programme booklet on the Order refreshments page.
The digital cast details for each opera and ballet, including the evening’s cast and creative team, are published online no later than on the day of the performance (please note that the link opens in a separate window). Cast details are also available on the displays and touch screens in the foyers, as well as under the My events tab in the mobile app.
Enhance your experience with refreshments. You can enjoy refreshments before the performance or during the interval. We recommend placing your order in advance, either through our online store or by calling our customer service. If tables are still available, online sales close no later than 24 hours before the performance.
Using the Opera&Ballet mobile app, you can order interval refreshments to a pick-up counter until shortly before the performance begins. Learn more about pick-up orders.
The Opera House is located by Töölönlahti bay. Our address is Helsinginkatu 58, which is well served by public transport.
The main entrance on the Mannerheimintie side usually opens 1.5 hours before the start of a Main Stage performance. Please make sure you arrive in good time, at least 15 minutes before the performance begins. Latecomers are only admitted after the interval so as not to disturb the performance.
How to dress for the performance? Can I wear perfume? Do I need to pay for the cloakroom? Find answers to these questions and more on our Tips for visitors page. We have put together a comprehensive guide to help make your visit to the Opera House a success.