Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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?

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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, Toby Spence, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Robert Murray

Tenor
Jennifer France

Soprano
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir