Benjamin Britten’s opera Peter Grimes will be performed at the Israeli Opera from November 20 – 30, 2026, directed by Mariusz Treliński, and conducted by Alexander Joel. A co-production of the Israeli Opera and Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera, directed by Mariusz Treliński, the opera premiered in Warsaw in 2023 and was applauded by critics and audiences.
Director Mariusz Treliński: “Peter Grimes is one of the few operas in which I did not feel there was a need to struggle with the original material or update it artificially. The work contains all that is necessary for a great drama: psychological depth, moral complexity, a mysterious story, and music that is rich and meaningful.”
Peter Grimes is the opera that brought Britten international acclaim. It is set in a fishing village on the northeast coast of England, around 1830. Britten first began working on Peter Grimes while living in the United States during the first years of WWII. Reading George Crabbe’s long narrative poem The Borough (1810), which describes the residents of a fictional town that resembles Aldeburgh, Suffolk (where Crabbe was born), Britten felt nostalgic, for he too was born in Suffolk. The libretto by Montagu Slater is inspired by the section “Peter Grimes” in the poem yet differs from the poem in some ways, such as the inclusion of Ellen Orford in Grime’s tale. More significant however, is the characterization of Grimes, who was depicted as a violent and cruel man, while in the opera, his character is more complex, inviting the viewer’s empathy.
In the opera, Grimes, a solitary, reclusive, fisherman is surrounded by rumors and suspicion following the death of his apprentice. Although an inquest determined that the boy’s death was accidental, the villagers still feel that Grimes is guilty. When another accident occurs, the suspicions gain force and the village turns against Grimes, leading to a tragic end. The chorus plays an important dramatic role in the opera, giving voice to the villagers as they shift from suspicion to persecution.
Mariusz Treliński has directed on the great opera stages of the world and is known to Israeli audiences for his striking production of Madame Butterfly that was first performed at the Israeli Opera in 2008. Treliński, who began his career as a filmmaker, has developed a distinctive stage language that merges psychological drama with imagery and video. In Peter Grimes, the fishing village, wharfs, and sea are intimately connected to the protagonist’s inner world, magnifying the sense of loneliness and the threat that looms over him. In this production, Trelinski continues his long-standing collaboration with set designer Boris Kudlicka, whom Israeli audiences will remember for his stunning designs for Madame Butterfly.
The tenor Peter Wedd who performed the role of Peter Grimes at the opera’s premiere in Warsaw and on many stages since, garnering accolades for his ability to convey Grime’s complex emotions, will alternate in the role here with Julian Hubbard. Soloists in the opera include: Alla Vasilevitsky (Soprano) and Shaked Srul (Soprano) alternating as Ellen Orford; Eric Greene (Baritone) as Balstrode; Anthony Webb (Tenor) as Bob Boles; Oded Reich (Baritone) as Ned Keene; Rona Shrira (Contralto) and Yarden Kiperman (Mezzo Soprano) alternating as Auntie; Veronika Brook (Soprano) as niece 1; Bram Efrat Hacohen (Soprano) and Tom Cohen (Soprano) alternating as niece 2; Anat Czarny (Mezzo Soprano) and Tamara Navoth (Mezzo Soprano) alternating as Mrs. Sedley.
Performances will take place from November 20 – 30, 2026. Tickets and additional information may be found on the Israeli Opera website.
