Maskarade, Opera in 3 Acts
by Carl Nielsen
You could certainly be forgiven for not having heard Maskarade. Although it became Denmark's "national opera" almost from its premiere in 1906, it hasn't travelled. Our loss, as it's also one of the few comic operas this century to exude genuine, life-enhancing comedy. The plot isn't simply described: like Smetana's The Bartered Bride, it concerns the goings-on at a specific time and place--with all the misunderstandings and reconciliations this implies. It's also very much an ensemble opera, the cast dovetailing their roles into each other at high speed, and this aspect comes over so well here. Even without visuals, you're drawn into the thick of the action and held there for the two-and-a-half hours it takes to resolve the many confusions. Auge Haugland and Susanne Resmark are fully in tune with their characters, but it's invidious to single out soloists in what is a fine all-round performance, conducted with gusto by Schirmer. Go ahead, indulge yourself. --Richard Whitehouse
