Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

Scene 5. Who hopes to conjure with the world of dreams

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor