Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:49

Pre-scene. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:47

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Ashley Riches

Vocals
Jennifer France

Soprano
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor