“Dawn,” the first of Benjamin Britten’s "Four Sea Interludes" from the opera "Peter Grimes," is a luminous orchestral portrayal of morning by the sea.
Britten captures the stillness of fog with shimmering, ethereal textures — an eerie calm that gives way to a radiant yet foreboding sunrise.
Those of us who have gazed across Lake Michigan at dawn know that same blend of beauty and unease.
Morning fog forms because land and water respond differently to temperature changes. In spring and early summer, warm, moist air drifting over the lake’s cold surface condenses into fog.
In late summer, the process often reverses. Cool air from night-chilled land moves over relatively warmer lake water, again producing fog. Typically, the rising sun warms both the land and the lake’s surface, causing the fog to dissipate.
It’s not a stretch to compare Lake Michigan to the coastal waters of Britain. In Peter Grimes, the sea is more than a setting — it’s a living force. Its turbulence and gales are lethal.
Here on the Great Lakes, dawn often brings tranquil, shimmering water. But we know that even in summer, the water remains cold and storms can rise quickly. High waves, gale force winds. seiches, and rip currents can be treacherous.
Lake Michigan — all the Great Lakes — are not just lakes; they are true inland seas. Britten’s ominous music reminds us that beneath the surface beauty lies danger.
Like the sea in Peter Grimes, these waters command both awe and respect.
