Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, 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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, 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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Susan Bickley, 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

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

Tenor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Jennifer France

Soprano
English National Opera Chorus

Choir