Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

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

Toby Spence, Jennifer France, 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

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

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

0:54

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

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

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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, Robert Murray, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, Claire Barnett-Jones, Rachel Nicholls, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, Toby Spence, 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
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Ashley Riches

Vocals