Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Soprano
Robert Murray

Tenor
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra