Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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!

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

3:40

Scene 2. Alla marcia. Andante

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

0:48

Scene 3. Mark, Chorus

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

4:34

Scene 4. Mark, Jenifer, Chorus

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

8:28

Scene 8. Start

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

1:10

Scene 8. Returning to the earth is cruel

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

6:10

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

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

2:21

Scene 8. As stallions stamping the young men dance

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

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

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

5:04

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

Jennifer France, Toby Spence, 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

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, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

3:35

Scene 5. Start

English National Opera Chorus, Ashley Riches, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, Claire Barnett-Jones

3:28

Scene 5. I see a meadow, fragrant with flowers

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

2:24

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

3:04

Scene 8. Poco meno mosso - Fire! Fire!

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

1:38

4th Dance. Fire in Summer

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

English National Opera Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

1:36

Scene 9. Allegretto non troppo

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

Choir
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra
Edward Gardner

Conductor
Rachel Nicholls

Soprano