Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, Edward Gardner, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, 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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Ashley Riches

Vocals