Heise: Drot og marsk (Live)

“Peter Heise’s King and Marshal (1878), one of the most-performed Danish operas, is melodic and atmospheric, here sung and played persuasively… All in all, this is a welcome effort at bringing back a work that was and remains historically important for Danish musical life.”

“… For anyone who loves Romantic operas, this would be a significant discovery.”

“…The recording, from three staged performances in April and May 2019, is lively and powerful. The singers are all highly capable and youthful-sounding. I am particularly captivated by the impressive vocal and interpretative range of Johan Reuter as Marshal Stig … All in all, this is a welcome effort at bringing back a work that remains historically important in Denmark…”

“…The performing honours on this live recording go to Michel Schønwandt and the forces of the Royal Danish Orchestra. I am ever impressed with Mr Schønwandt’s ability to command his musicians in readings of intense concentration combined with orchestral timbres of radiant beauty. He provides a highly gripping account of the dramatic Third Act… The best singing overall comes from the very experienced Gert Henning-Jensen as the quartermaster, Rane… the years have barely touched his remarkably clear and lithe sounding tenor. He excels in creating a portrait of a resentful man who must wear the mask of helpful subservience to his king while plotting his downfall. King Erik is remarkably well-portrayed by Peter Lodahl. His vocal acting presents an unstable man with voracious appetites that simply charge through one’s sound system… The two sopranos are well-cast for their roles and their voices are sufficiently different in tone to keep them well contrasted. Sofie Ekljaer Jensen has a very bright and buoyant soprano as the seduced peasant girl Aase… Sine Bungaard as the victimized Lady Ingeborg has a vocal tone that is all creamy custard, and she has reserves of power for her crucial scenes in Acts Two and Three… The Danish radio engineers have excelled at recording a live event with a spacious yet immediate sound that does not suffer from comparison with studio-based efforts. The audience is fairly quiet with the exception of some well-deserved applause at the end of the acts.”

"...Treat yourself."