Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Toby Spence, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Jennifer France, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

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

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:56

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Jennifer France

Soprano
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano