Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:10

Scene 2. Start

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

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

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

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 Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Tenor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Ashley Riches

Vocals