Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Robert Murray, Ashley Riches, English National Opera Chorus, Rachel Nicholls, 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, English National Opera Chorus, 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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, 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, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

Robert Murray, Rachel Nicholls, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Vocals
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano