Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, Toby Spence, 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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:56

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

5:23

Scene 9. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner

2:23

Scene 9. O summer sun golden faced glorious globe

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
English National Opera Chorus

Choir