Danish composer Hakon Børresen (1876-1954) was 11 years younger than Carl Nielsen, but shared none of his countryman's interest in the musical developments of the twentieth century. Børresen remained an adamant romantic, which put him out of sync with most of his peers, and he has not enjoyed a broad following since his death, although The Royal Guest (1919), his most popular work, is occasionally revived in Denmark. The story involves a bored married couple whose relationship is reinvigorated by the visit of a mysterious and lively guest. The pleasant but undramatic story is matched by Børresen's Germanic music, which is perky, but not particularly witty, and which is idiomatically similar to that of the very young
Richard Strauss. The music is well orchestrated but fails to generate much emotional or dramatic heat, so it's not difficult to see why the opera has been of interest primarily within Denmark. The opera receives a committed and stylish performance from the
Odense Symphony Orchestra, conducted by
Tamás Vetö. The soloists, soprano
Tina Kiberg and tenor Stig Fogh Andersen as the couple and baritone Guido Paevatalu as the guest, are uniformly strong, and they perform with musicality and obvious relish. The sound is clear and vivid.