Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Ashley Riches, Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, Jennifer France, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2022

Modelled on Mozart’s The Magic Flute, the English composer Michael Tippett’s 1955 opera, The Midsummer Marriage, has confounded some and delighted many in its playful mix of myth, Jungian psychology and sexual symbolism. It leaps joyfully off the page in this live recording made at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 2021. Conductor Edward Gardner is the energising presence, delighting in Tippett’s ravishingly detailed orchestration and drawing vividly committed performances from the singers. Among these, the tenor Robert Murray excels as Mark, while Toby Spence and soprano Jennifer France catch Tippett’s sense of humour winningly in Act II’s conclusion. Tinglingly alive in every bar, Gardner’s interpretation fully vindicates the quirkiness and optimism of Tippett’s vision.

Scene 1. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, Robert Murray, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

London Philharmonic Choir, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Murray, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, English National Opera Chorus

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Riches, Jennifer France, English National Opera Chorus, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

4:47

Scene 6. Start

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, Edward Gardner

2:49

Scene 6. So you, so you, so you're the company my daughter keeps

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus

1:51

Scene 7. King Fisher, Jack, Bella, Chorus, Sosostris

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Choir, Toby Spence, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Riches

8:28

Scene 8. Start

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

Robert Murray, Ashley Riches, Susan Bickley, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, Joshua Bloom

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, Joshua Bloom

6:10

Scene 8. You, you who were with me when she left me

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Murray, Edward Gardner

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

London Philharmonic Choir, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus, Rachel Nicholls, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Murray, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, Rachel Nicholls, Edward Gardner

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

0:49

Pre-scene. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:47

Pre-scene. Crying as they're flying and this is what they say

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Choir

5:04

Scene 1. I'll lay the baby to my breast and rock it

Edward Gardner, Toby Spence, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence, Jennifer France

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

4:07

2nd Dance. The Waters in Winter

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

Toby Spence, Jennifer France, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:54

Scene 1. Chorus, Half-Tipsy Man, A Dancing Man, King Fisher

Paul Sheehan, John Findon, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Ashley Riches, Edward Gardner

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

Joshua Bloom, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Susan Bickley, Edward Gardner, Jennifer France

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

Ashley Riches, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:53

Scene 5. Who hopes to conjure with the world of dreams

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:56

Scene 5. You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, Ashley Riches

2:24

Scene 6. King Fisher, Bella, Jack, Chorus, Sosostris

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, Toby Spence, Ashley Riches, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

Joshua Bloom, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Susan Bickley, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches

3:33

Scene 8. Start

Robert Winslade Anderson, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, Sophie Goldrick

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, English National Opera Chorus

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, Robert Murray, London Philharmonic Choir, Susan Bickley, English National Opera Chorus

5:23

Scene 9. Start

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

Joshua Bloom, Susan Bickley, London Philharmonic Choir, Rachel Nicholls, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Robert Murray, Jennifer France

1:53

Scene 9. Piu mosso alla breve - fall and are built again

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Ashley Riches

Vocals
Robert Murray

Tenor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Jennifer France

Soprano