Customer Reviews

Holger Danske

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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Like a "lost" opera by Mozart, this piece of musical genious has been virtually "forgotten" by the mainstream opera public for almost 200 yeears! (Due mainly to the so-called "Holger-feud")

The libretto was written by Danish "National Poet" Jens Baggesen, and was heavily inspired by Wieland's "Oberon", but Baggesen choose Danish national icon Holger Danske as the opera's protagonist instead, and that started a feud, because some "nationalistically inclined" people in the "cultural elite" thought it was "blasphemous" and in "bad taste" to make a national icon the main character in a basically middle-eastern storyline with German origins!

With this superb CD release, "Holger Danske" will in all likelihood get the credit it so rightfully deserve...

Thomas Dausgaard, rising international star, directs the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Choir superbly, and get the most out of Kunzen's fantastic music. The cast of singers are equally good; especially international star Inga Nielsen as Oberon, Gert Henning-Jensen as Holger Danske and Johannes Mannow.

"Holger Danske" deservedly won a Danish Grammy..

F.L.Ae. Kunzen was born in Germany in 1761. He studied law, but later decided on music as his vocation. He worked in Denmark for a while, where he composed this opera in 1789.

Kunzen's opera is a work of the highest order. It most definately forshadows the Romantic-period music of the following years. THe music is richly scored, and harmonically innovative. It uses a leitmotiv, which is one of the first superior examples of this device. Kunzen's vocal writing is outstanding, and is sung beautifully by the soloists. The musicis of the highest quality. I reccomend this Opera to any 18th century music enthusiasts and opera fans.

It is a shame that more of Kunzen's music isn't recorded.

this is one of my most favrote opera,superb performanc and great romantic soprano voice.