Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

2022

Modeled 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 energizing 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 humor 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, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Choir

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:47

Pre-scene. Crying as they're flying and this is what they say

London Philharmonic Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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

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

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

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Choir

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:56

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

Claire Barnett-Jones, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

1:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:52

Sir Michael Tippett

Composer
English National Opera Chorus

Choir
London Philharmonic Choir

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor