Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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 Choir, 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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

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, Edward Gardner, Robert Murray, English National Opera Chorus

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

4:07

2nd Dance. The Waters in Winter

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:56

Scene 5. You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, 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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

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

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
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano