Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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 Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano