Christian Frederik Emil Horneman (1840-1906)
Aladdin (1888, revised 1902)
Aladdin – Bror Magnus Tødenes, tenor
Gulnare – Dénise Beck, soprano
Noureddin – Johan Reuter, bass-baritone
Sultan – Stephen Milling, bass
Vizier – Henning von Schulman, bass
Morgiane – Hanne Fischer, mezzo-soprano
Genie of the Lamp – Steffan Bruun, bass
Genie of the Ring – Elisabeth Jansson, mezzo-soprano
Handmaidens – Frederikke Kampmann, soprano, Sidsel Aja Eriksen, mezzo-soprano,
Elves – Klaudio Kidon, soprano, Rikke Lender, mezzo-soprano
Messenger – Jakob Soelberg, bass-baritone
Danish National Concert Choir
Danish National Symphony Orchestra/Michael Schønwandt
rec. 2020, Danish Radio Concert Hall, Copenhagen
Reviewed in 2 channel stereo
Includes booklet with notes and libretto in Danish and English
DACAPO 6.200007 SACD [3 discs: 179]
The Dacapo label cannot be faulted for constantly investigating unfamiliar repertoire by producing innovative new releases such as this long unheard opera from a little-known Danish composer. The company has devoted some fairly impressive resources in providing Aladdin with a most striking debut on SACD.
Aladdin was a labour of love for teacher and composer Christian Horneman. He worked on the composition sporadically over 24 years with long interruptions. The opera was accepted for a premiere in Copenhagen in 1888 to be included in the celebrations for an important Royal anniversary. As is usually the case with these types of arrangements, the premiere was a disaster and it left the composer angry and discouraged. Nevertheless, he soldiered-on by making refinements to the text and the score for a revised version, which had its premiere in 1902 to general acclaim. Despite this, the opera has never had a revival other than a single radio concert of an abridged version in 1953. This recording is the opera’s first full airing in 120 years.
The opera contains a plethora of clever, somewhat weighty music that is imaginatively orchestrated. At the time of the two premieres Horneman’s music was likened to Wagner, and there are certainly some similarities in the compositional styles of the two composers. I find that the opera is more related to works by Weber, Marschner, and Mendelssohn than the Bayreuth bard. Horneman composed some very beautiful, if grave sounding, music, particularly whenever the chorus is involved. This is the very crux of the problem with Aladdin. There is simply too much music which meanders contentedly in a generally pleasant way but the lack of a dramatic impulse is a fatal flaw. The story of Aladdin is a somewhat slender frame on which to support all of this densely textured, rich music. Occasionally Horneman composes with a breezy sort of charm, as in the moment when Aladdin is singing to himself while he first rubs the magic lamp, but these moments are few throughout the opera. In addition the libretto contains almost no character development until the fourth act. Suddenly there, the listener starts to care about the characters; a good three hours into the opera. It makes Aladdin a difficult opera for audiences to engage with despite all of the lovely sounds that pour out from it. The potential listener should also be aware that, similar to several other 19th century operas on exotic subjects, Horneman makes no attempt to musically illustrate the Middle-Eastern setting. Exotically scored music was left to other composers such as Bizet, Borodin, and Rimsky-Korsakov to explore.
The cast lined up for this project is an unusually fine one, although few names may be familiar to those outside of Scandinavia. Johan Reuter is in his best villainous mode as Noureddin. His voice glitters darkly and possesses true power in which to dominate his scenes. However, his only substantial scenes are in the two outer acts, making one wish that he was given more time onstage. As Aladdin, Bror Magnus Tødenes is lyrically appealing and shows off a beautifully clear voice with bright ringing tone. Stephen Milling is warmly commanding as the fatherly Sultan of Persia, giving a masterful performance of his all-too-brief role. Morgiane, Aladdin’s mother is voiced by the rich-toned Hanne Fischer in a most sympathetic portrayal. Aladdin’s love, the sheltered Princess Gulnare, doesn’t appear until Act Three, yet another miscalculation in this opera. She is splendidly sung by Dénise Beck, a fine lyric soprano who offers a lush flowing tone. The smaller roles of the two Genies are well taken in what amounts to near perfect casting all around.
The main honours in this recording go to Michael Schønwandt and his Danish Radio forces. He clearly revels in this music by shaping it with care and affection. The orchestra and chorus are acutely responsive to his direction. The chorus in particular receives the largest portion of the composer’s gravely beautiful music. It may not go anywhere dramatically but it is certainly worth wallowing in when it has been executed as magnificently as on this recording. The engineering is top notch and really shows off the sonic beauties of the Danish Radio Concert Hall as a recording venue. I am unable to evaluate the surround sound features of this SACD but I suspect that it gives full satisfaction if the 2 channel recording is anything to judge it by. There is a libretto in Danish with English translation included in the booklet which is mercifully given in a much larger typeface than is often the case in opera releases. Full marks go to Da Capo for the care they have invested in this. I earnestly hope that this release finds the audience it deserves but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for the opera to appear on the schedule at your nearest opera house any time soon.
Mike Parr
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