Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:49

Pre-scene. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, Jennifer France

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

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:02

1st Dance. The Earth in Autumn

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:56

Scene 5. You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Jennifer France

Soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra