Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Toby Spence, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

5:36

3rd Dance. The Air in Spring

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:39

Scene 5. I alone, cannot consult myself

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

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

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
Jennifer France

Soprano