The Source of Peter Grimes

And now for something completely different.  Here is a dramatic reading of the poem upon which Britten's opera, Peter Grimes, is based.  It is a section of the work "The Borough" by George Crabbe, an early nineteenth century poet from Suffolk on the east coast of England.  Note the difference between the Grimes of the poem, who is an outright villain, and the Grimes of the opera, an ambiguous character of whose guilt the audience is never really sure.  Enjoy this reading by Nick Reveles, Director of Education, underscored by music from the opera.