Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

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

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Choir, Rachel Nicholls, Robert Murray, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, Toby Spence, 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, Toby Spence, Jennifer France

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, Sophie Goldrick, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Robert Winslade Anderson, 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

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

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor