Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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 Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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, Joshua Bloom, 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

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

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

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Toby Spence, Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

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, Jennifer France, Toby Spence

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

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

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