'Peter Grimes,' Directed by John Doyle, Opens 2/28 at The Met

Peter Grimes, Benjamin Britten's haunting theatrical masterpiece, returns to the Met on Thursday, February 28 at 7:30PM, in a new production directed by John Doyle (Tony-winner, Sweeney Todd).

Doyle makes his Met debut along with set designer, Scott Pask, and costume designer, Ann Hould-Ward. Peter Mumford is the lighting designer. Donald Runnicles conducts a cast that includes Anthony Dean Griffey in one of opera's most demanding title roles, Patricia Racette as the kindhearted Ellen Orford, and Anthony Michaels-Moore as Balstrode.  The run of seven performances ends on Monday, March 24. The matinee performance on Saturday, March 15 at 1:30PM, is the fifth of eight opera performances to be transmitted live into movie theaters around the world this season in the Met's "Live in HD" series.

"Britten's Peter Grimes is a probing exploration of the nature of guilt and judgment, featuring an intriguing outsider trapped within a closed society. Doyle's vision for the setting of Peter Grimes is inspired by his hometown of Hastings, a small fishing town on the southern coast of England. Ann Hould-Ward's costume designs and Scott Pask's sets feature motifs inspired by the clothing, tools, and especially the fishermen's dwellings, called net huts," describe press notes.

Peter Grimes, composed by Benjamin Britten with libretto by Montagu Slater will feature seven performances at The Met.  Conductor: Donald Runnicles. Cast the features Patricia Raccette (Ellen Orford), Anthony Dean Griffey (Peter Grimes), Anthony Michaels-Moore (Balstrode), Felicity Palmer (Mrs. Sedley), Jill Grove (Auntie), Leah Partridge (First Niece), Erin Morley (Second Niece), Greg Fedderly (Bob Boles), Teddy Tahu Rhodes (Ned Keene), John Del Carlo (Swallow) and Dean Peterson (Hobson).

Performances are Thursday February 28 at 7PM; Monday Monday March 3 at 8PM; Friday March 7 at 8PM; Tuesday March 11 at 8PM; Saturday March 15 at 1:30PM; Thursday March 20 at 8PM; and Monday March 24 at 8PM.

Peter Grimes will be heard by millions of people around the world this season in movie theaters, on the radio, and via the internet, through distribution platforms the Met has established with various media partners. The production premiere will be broadcast live on Sirius Satellite Radio and will also be available via RealNetworks internet streaming at the Met's web site, www.metopera.org.  Sirius will also carry a live broadcast of the performance on Monday, March 24 at 8PM. As previously mentioned, the Saturday matinee performance on March 15 at 1:30PM, in addition to being transmitted live in HD into movie theaters around the world, will be broadcast live over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network.