Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

3:49

Scene 1. What's that? Surely music?

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus

1:10

Scene 2. Start

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:29

Scene 2. Stop! Stop, stop!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

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

1:36

Scene 1. Come within the shadow of the wood

Jennifer France, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:35

Scene 5. Start

English National Opera Chorus, Edward Gardner, Ashley Riches, 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

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, Ashley Riches, Edward Gardner

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
Ashley Riches

Vocals