Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

London Philharmonic Choir, Jennifer France, Toby Spence, 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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

Robert Murray, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Rachel Nicholls, Susan Bickley, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Robert Murray

Tenor