Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, Ashley Riches, Claire Barnett-Jones

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Ashley Riches

Vocals