Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

Tippett: The Midsummer Marriage (Live)

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra, 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!

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

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

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

7:05

Scene 5. King Fisher, Bella, Chorus, Ancients

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

4:47

Scene 6. Start

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

2:49

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

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

1:51

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

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

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

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

6:21

Scene 8. Is it so strange…

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

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

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

1:55

Scene 8. See by a heavenly magic…

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

3:50

Scene 8. We are the laughing children

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, 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, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

0:41

Scene 1. Start

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

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

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

Edward Gardner, London Philharmonic Orchestra

3:41

Scene 3. Bella, Jack

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

6:26

Post-Scene. Chorus offstage

London Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Choir, Edward Gardner

1:20

Start

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

0:54

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

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

3:49

Scene 2. King Fisher, Chorus

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

2:28

Scene 3. King Fisher, Bella, Ancients

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

3:19

Scene 4. Chorus

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner, English National Opera Chorus

3:35

Scene 5. Start

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

2:53

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, 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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Claire Barnett-Jones, Edward Gardner

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

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

5:24

Scene 7. Ancients, King Fisher, Chorus

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

3:33

Scene 8. Start

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

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

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

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

London Philharmonic Orchestra, Edward Gardner

2:20

Scene 9. Jenifer, Jenifer, my darling

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

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
Jennifer France

Soprano
Ashley Riches

Vocals
London Philharmonic Orchestra

Orchestra