Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

2022

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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, 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!

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

0:41

Scene 1. Start

Toby Spence, Jennifer France, 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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

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, Ashley Riches, Claire Barnett-Jones

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52