Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

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
Ashley Riches

Vocals
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor