A Folk Tale

Fairytale ballet with music by Gade, choreography by Bournonville, and costumes and sets by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, who also introduces

Performers
Lady Kirstine: Eva Klobborg
Sir Mogens: Stephen Pier
Hilda: Silja Schandorff
Muri: Jette Buchwald
Miss Birthe: Lis Jeppesen
Diderik: Sorella England
Viderik: Michael Bastian

Danish Radio Orchestra
Harry Damgaard (conductor)

Royal Danish Ballet

August Bournonville once called it his most successful production: a joyous and picturesque 19th-century fairy-tale ballet, where trolls and human beings mix in an imaginative story, inspired both by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy-tales about the elf-hill and by the fantastic characters found in folk songs.

This studio recording of Bournonville's favourite from 1991 has costumes and sets designed by Queen Margarethe II of Denmark. She also provides an act by act introduction to the ballet.

With music by Gade and JPE Hartmann, the magical story has a 'once upon a time' atmosphere and a cast of peasants and knights, ladies, bog women, changelings, elf-maidens and trolls: Norwegian trolls, beach and bristle, giant, rock and cone trolls.

The Danish royal family has always taken a lively interest in the Royal Theatre which, until 1849, was under the direct command of the king, though his interference in questions of repertoire and personnel may not always have been welcome! Queen Margrethe's paternal grandfather and father were both frequent guests in the royal box. The latter occasionally conducted the Royal Danish Orchestra at private concerts. However, Queen Margrethe is the first to join the ranks of professional artists.

There were further illustrious connections with this production: one of the two directors, Anne Marie Vessel, is married to the Former Danish Prime Minister.