Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, 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 Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

Scene 9. Piu mosso alla breve - fall and are built again

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano