Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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 Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence, 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

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, Edward Gardner, Jennifer France

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

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
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir