Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

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, Toby Spence, Jennifer France, Edward Gardner

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

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

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Ashley Riches

Vocals
Robert Murray

Tenor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir