Peter Grimes

Theater an der Wien [ENA] During the 1940-ies Benjamin Britten become inspired by the roman of George Crabbes The Borough. The roman was written in verses and more than a hundred years before the time when Benjamin Britten was living.. The action of the roman takes place in the small fishery village in Suffolk where the lonely standing Peter Grimes is confronted with a sequence of horrible coincidences when two of his young helpers are dying.

The range of the village inhabitants is directed towards Peter Grimes and they leave him no choice but to navigate his boat to the open sea and then to sink it while killing himself in such a way. When Benjamin Britten got attracted by the Borough he was on the run to the United States from Europe. He was running away from intolerance and unacceptance of homosexual relations and the opera Peter Grimes has a lot of his personal story, the suffering from the lack of acceptance of the own community. In his vision of the opera Peter Grimes is rather a victim of bulling for being different to others. The Borough was written in times when accidents among fishers were frequent which were the most vulnerable part of the community.

However, in the interpretation of the opera by Christoph Loy, Georg Zlabinger and Thomas Guggeis who implemented Peter Grimes on the stage of the Theater an der Wien, the opera becomes another meaning. In this interpretation Peter Grimes is not a victim but he is an abuser. The opera is not going into the discussion about homosexuality or the feeling of acceptance by the community, but it creates a story line around power abuse by some one who is stronger such as Peter Grimes towards someone who is weaker such as John his helper. Peter Grimes is not interested that John is tired or is afraid. He is only driver by his wish to catch as much fish as possible and to escape poverty.

His words such as “he is mine”, his ignorance of the physical condition of John, his violence kind to demand that John implements his orders – all shows abusing character of this relationship. Also abusive is the relationship of Peter Grimes to other people such as Ellen who was helping him. Peter Grimes does not find it necessary to keep his promises towards her. He promised to be kind towards John and care for him, but he forgets this very quickly.

In this performance Peter Grimes is a greedy, egoistic and only “in himself interested” person who is driven by the principle “non-plus ultra” or “always further” and brings his wish through despite the lack of acceptance from the side of other people while ignoring their needs. With such character the last scene when Peter Grimes leaves the stage of theater but also the stage of life comes almost as a salvation. Peters Grimes is a very controversial opera which has several storylines in one and several lines and levels of understanding. It is not an easy opera but is certainly worth getting to know it. The opera runs until the end of October in the Theater an der Wien.