Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Ashley Riches

Vocals
Robert Murray

Tenor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano