Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

5:04

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

Ashley Riches, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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, 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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra