Peter Grimes, Op. 33, is an opera by Benjamin Britten in three acts based on the section "Peter Grimes" from George Crabbe's narrative poem The Borough. It was commissioned by Walter Legge on behalf of the EMI label; he also conducted the première at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London, on 7 June 1945.
The opera is "the first full-length work by Britten and remains his best-known". It has been described as "the most perfect union of music and text" by W. H. Auden, who also wrote the libretto for the opera with Britten's partner, tenor Peter Pears. It has inspired several other adaptations, including a ballet and film versions.
The Borough of Crabbe is based on the real rural Suffolk town of Aldeburgh; Britten's home from 1937 until his death in 1976. The opera is set in the early 19th century and revolves around the central character of Peter Grimes, an unsuccessful fisherman who struggles against a society which ultimately rejects him.
The first two acts are concerned with the events leading up to Grimes' trial for the murder of his apprentice; the boy's death is never directly mentioned but is intimated to the audience. The second act culminates in the communal beachside trial, at which Grimes is found guilty but spared execution on the condition that he leave the Borough.
The third act takes place some months later and focuses on Grimes' attempt to start a new life elsewhere and his eventual downfall.
The central character, Peter Grimes, has been interpreted as a Christ-like figure who suffers for the sins of those around him. The opera also deals with such themes as the corrupting effect of power, the need for an individual to be accepted by society, and the costs of non-conformity.
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