Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:47

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra