Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:49

Pre-scene. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennifer France, 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

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, Jennifer France, Edward Gardner, Toby Spence

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

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

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano