Midsummer Marriage

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  • Gary Freer
    Full Member
    • Jul 2017
    • 17

    Midsummer Marriage

    Next Saturday at RFH with LPO and Ed Gardner. Live relay. Should be a cracker.
  • ardcarp
    Late member
    • Nov 2010
    • 11102

    #2
    Excellent. How does one get the live stream?

    Comment

    • bluestateprommer
      Full Member
      • Nov 2010
      • 3019

      #3
      Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
      Excellent. How does one get the live stream?
      It's scheduled for Opera on 3 this coming Saturday night:

      Comment

      • Nick Armstrong
        Host
        • Nov 2010
        • 26572

        #4
        Jailed for being a conscientious objector, Tippett came up with his opera The Midsummer Marriage, an expression of hope and reconciliation that resonates louder than ever
        "...the isle is full of noises,
        Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
        Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
        Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices..."

        Comment

        • bluestateprommer
          Full Member
          • Nov 2010
          • 3019

          #5
          First reviews are in (for the record, haven't heard this yet):

          1. Tim Ashley, The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...edward-gardner

          2. David Nice, The Arts Desk: https://theartsdesk.com/opera/midsum...its-and-starts

          Comment

          • ahinton
            Full Member
            • Nov 2010
            • 16123

            #6
            Originally posted by bluestateprommer View Post
            First reviews are in (for the record, haven't heard this yet):

            1. Tim Ashley, The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...edward-gardner

            2. David Nice, The Arts Desk: https://theartsdesk.com/opera/midsum...its-and-starts
            I listened to this yesterday evening. Having now read these two reviews (for the links to which many thanks), I find myself having to flush out my mouth following the digestion os so many sour grapes. This is a terrific score that, for me at any rate, has done the very opposite of diminishing with age and familiarity and, whilst I can sympathise with reservations about the libretto as is the case with Tippett's other four operas, I found the entire experience deeply moving - Tippett pretty much at his remarkable best.

            Comment

            • Ein Heldenleben
              Full Member
              • Apr 2014
              • 6932

              #7
              Agree with the Guardian review . If only the voices had matched orchestra and Edward Gardner’s magnificent conducting this would have been a performance of historic significance - one of the very greatest performances of the piece I’ve heard . I think the ROH job is his for the taking….

              Comment

              • bluestateprommer
                Full Member
                • Nov 2010
                • 3019

                #8
                A few more reviews:

                3. Aliya Al-Hassan, Broadway World: https://www.broadwayworld.com/westen...entre-20210926

                4. Mark Berry, Boulezian: https://boulezian.blogspot.com/2021/...ardner-25.html

                5. Richard Morrison, The Times (behind a paywall): https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/m...stra-fqz9xgg2r

                Can't resist quoting the start of RM's review (the part not behind the paywall, natch):

                "Ardent fans of Michael Tippett’s 1955 opera tell us to ignore the nonsensical plot, unintentionally hilarious libretto and all those esoteric references to psychoanalysis, TS Eliot, The Magic Flute and goodness knows how many ancient fertility myths. Instead we must simply go with the flow of the music.

                To me that seems a little like voting for a politician because, although he is chaotic and untrustworthy, he is quite entertaining. Some people can do that, some can’t. I personally prefer operas with plots I understand.

                Yet those ardent fans are right."
                Works, often enough, for music, though certainly not for politics (....).

                Comment

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