Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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?

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, 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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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, Toby Spence, Jennifer France, Edward Gardner

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

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

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Robert Murray

Tenor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir