Aladdin has been facing headwinds its whole life, in spite of its great musical qualities and status as the principal work of Danish composer C.F.E. Horneman.

Now the opera as been recorded in full for the first time by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Danish National Concert Choir, conductor Michael Schønwandt and the solists Bror Magnus Tødenes, Dénise Beck and Johan Reuter in the central roles.

The opera will be released in a 3 CD box on 6 May and from 15 April, you can listen to the opera on streaming services here.

A life's work facing headwinds

Aladdin is both the life's work and problem child of C.F.E. Horneman. He worked on the score through 40 years, no matter how much adversity he was facing. 

The opera was decided to be a part of the celebration of King Christian IX's 25th accession anniversary in 1888. The decision was made just six weeks before the celebration, despite the fact that the musical parts were not ready – a rash decision which caused last minute cuts and emotions running so high that Horneman was banned from attending rehearsals.

In 1902, Horneman was rehabilitated with a new performance of the opera which was an overwhelming succes. Despite of 18 sold out performances, the opera has not been performed at The Royal Danish Theatre since then. The score was put aside and when researchers started restauring the music for a newly revised version (2020), they were in such bad condition that they were crumbling when touched.

'Why don't we know this?'

The ouverture for Aladdin is the only part of the opera that has held a place in the Danish concert repertoire. "I've been excited from day one when I opened up the score, because the ouverture is indeed fantasic – but the rest of the music is also fantastic!", says conductor Michael Schønwandt.

"From both the orchestra and the singers I've been sensing an excitement, an engagement and a curiosity about this music saying 'why don't we know this?'".

Lush harmonies and colourful orchestration

Aladdin has the lush harmonies and flowing melodies you might expect from a piece of its time, and Horneman succeeds in adding new lustre to the old fairy tale about Aladdin.

In the opera, Horneman shows his talent of orchestration in a well-sounding score that is full of fantasy. The opera involves a vocal ensemble, with very demanding parts for the three central characters, Aladdin, Noureddin and Gulnare. The chorus, too, has an important role and appears in many different guises: as elves and gnomes; as invisible spirits and genies and as Ispahan’s
Persians.

Even if the opera’s subject has a certain Eastern colouring, Horneman is very cautious in applyingit to his music. Only occasionally is the orchestral movement coloured by sounds inspired by the Orient.

A cornerstone in Danish music

Aladdin has not previously been recorded as a whole. Now the opera is being released in a studio production recorded by the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, the Danish National Concerto Choir and acclaimed singers.

"I really believe in this production", says conductor Michael Schønwandt. "I genuinely believe that this work is a cornerstone in Danish music history".

Below here, you can hear more about the opera and the making of the recording in two interview videos with soprano Dénise Beck and conductor Michael Schønwandt.