Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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

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 Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Jennifer France

Soprano
Ashley Riches

Vocals