Sweden Britten, Peter Grimes: Soloists of Gothenburg Opera, Gothenburg Opera Chorus and Extra chorus, Gothenburg Opera Orchestra / Christoph Gedschold (conductor). Gothenburg Opera main stage, 12.3.2025. (NS)
Sweden’s west coast province of Bohuslän has a rich history of fishing and seafaring communities, many on islands and socially isolated. It feels very appropriate for the Gothenburg Opera, located at the southern end of the province, to produce Britten’s opera based on a story from a similar coastal community. Netia Jones and her team set Peter Grimes in an imagined present time in one of these island fishing harbours. The set is immediately effective in communicating the island setting and its combination of open horizons and a sense of being hemmed in by the often-hostile waves.
During winter (Prologue and Act I) the set, costumes and lighting are all dark, amplifying the isolation of Peter Grimes. Video projections are skillfully used to flesh out the shape of Grimes’ hut but are also used during the orchestral interludes where they first provide atmosphere then later turn to showing Grimes’ mistreatment of his apprentice that is otherwise only suggested in the libretto. But the first scene of Act II beautifully represents an idyllic Nordic summer day, which only heightens the horror that unfolds in the story by contrast. In Act III the atmosphere is less Nordic, more southern USA with the villagers’ blood-red costumes for the Midsummer dance and a chilling lynching (in effigy) of Grimes.
While the set communicates a lot with simple resources the cast are musically and dramatically an embarrassment of riches. The remarkable breadth and high standards of the Gothenburg Opera’s stable of soloists was on display in this large cast; all singing in the original English. Illness meant that Mats Almgren (Swallow) had lost his voice just before this performance, but his lines were ably sung from the side by Martin Andersson, and Almgren vividly acted the lawyer’s self-importance on stage. Tobias Westman superbly captured the character of the parish’s weak-willed, flower-loving rector Horace Adams. Kristian Lindroos gave the carter Hobson a combination of dignity and menace, heightened by his sonorous and dark baritone.
Hannes Öberg gave a multifaceted performance as Ned Keene, the apothecary who seems to be something of an outsider willing to push the boundaries of what is acceptable in the community but with the skill to never end up as an outcast like Peter Grimes. Öberg’s colourful baritone is well-suited to Ned Keene’s sarcasm. Daniel Ralphsson was equally adept at bringing out the different aspects of his character as the preacher Bob Boles, from disgracing himself in the local pub in the first act to his fire and brimstone whipping up a mob in the second.
The female characters also formed a superb ensemble. Katarina Giotas with her dark-timbred mezzo-soprano was a sinister Mrs Sedley, developing from pitiful laudanum addict to amateur detective and instigator for the mob in Act III. Katarina Karnéus was a contrast as the earthy landlady Auntie and Sofie Asplund and Mia Karlsson were full of personality as her ‘nieces’. The most moving moment for all the female characters came at the end of the first scene in Act II, when the (all-male) posse has gone off to Grimes’ hut leaving their women to lament men’s ingratitude and the thanklessness of a women’s life in such a conservative community.
Åke Zetterström was terrifically moving as the retired sea captain Balstrode, who despite physical infirmity and the community’s ostracism of Peter Grimes does his best to help. Zetterström’s baritone achieved a delicate balance between the experience of a man accustomed to command and the frailty of an old man’s body. Balstrode’s last words to Grimes were delivered with immense sadness.
Matilda Sterby was spellbinding as Ellen Orford, blossoming out into angelic song in the opening of Act II, only to express rising horror as she discovers bruises on the silent apprentice and is then humiliated and struck by Grimes himself. Sterby has a lyric soprano that can express great emotion with clarity even when singing softly.
Joachim Bäckström’s tenor is easily capable of the challenging role of Peter Grimes, with clear projection without forcing the many high notes. Bäckström’s singing was gripping from the start but was especially haunting when Grimes is lost in his thoughts, such as in ‘Now the Great Bear and Pleiades’. His vivid expression of Grimes’ despair at the end of the third act was heartrending.
The Gothenburg Opera Chorus – expanded for this production – were simply superb, repaying Britten’s beautiful music for them with rich expression and excellent technique, particular in the canon ‘Old Joe has gone fishing’ and the spine-tingling mob mentality of ‘Now is gossip put on trial’. Christoph Gedschold has conducted two previous productions of Peter Grimes at other houses, and his experience showed in a mastery of the complex score and was rewarded by superb playing from the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra, blooming out in the sea interludes in particular. The story may be full of darkness and despair but the superb musicianship of the whole ensemble shines like a lighthouse.
Niklas Smith
Playing until 1 April. The premiere was broadcast live on Swedish Radio and is available to stream for free until 7 April on the SR Play app and the Swedish Radio website (click here). For tickets and more information click here.
Creatives:
Director – Netia Jones
Set, Costume and Video design – Netia Jones and Lightmap
Lighting design – Ellen Ruge
Video design assistant – Marc Lavallee
Costume design assistant – Sukie Kirk
Stagefight instructor – Peppe Östensson
Cast:
Peter Grimes – Joachim Bäckström
Ellen Orford – Matilda Sterby
Balstrode – Åke Zetterström
Auntie – Katarina Karnéus
Niece 1 – Sofie Asplund
Niece 2 – Mia Karlsson
Bob Boles – Daniel Ralphsson
Swallow – Mats Almgren (sung by Martin Andersson)
Mrs Sedley – Katarina Giotas
Horace Adams – Tobias Westman
Ned Keene – Hannes Öberg
Hobson – Kristian Lindroos
The apprentice – Gustaf Sporsén/Noa Flenser