Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

1:12

Scene 2. Strephon, Dancers

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

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

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Tenor
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Ashley Riches

Vocals