Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:47

Pre-scene. Crying as they're flying and this is what they say

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

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

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

3:56

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

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

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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 Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor