Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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, 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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

Robert Winslade Anderson, Sophie Goldrick, Edward Gardner, Susan Bickley, Joshua Bloom, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Soprano
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir