Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

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

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

3:56

Scene 5. You who consult me should never, [never,] doubt me

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano
Robert Murray

Tenor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Jennifer France

Soprano