A magical evening even if you haven’t climbed the mountain of learning Danish!

‘The Sound of Music’ loses none of its charm outside its original language

Ella Navarro

I have known for some time that Det NY theater was going to show ‘The Sound of Music’ in Danish and ever since secretly hoped (and been prepared to fight) that I would get to see it.

I am not fluent and I must admit my Danish is still pretty basic, but I thought it would be a great opportunity to appreciate Danish theatre as it is such a familiar story.

I’m glad to say that the night was a success!

From the VHS generation
Time flies: it’s a cold October night and I am cycling to see it. I recall the very first time I saw the movie when I was around maybe six years old. I was sitting at my godmother’s house with my cousins and popcorn buckets on a winter afternoon.

We were told we were going to watch a classic: a movie from their childhood. And it was on VHS – in fact so long, it was on two VHS tapes. Ancient, right? As kids we were a little bit hesitant about what we were about to experience.

But ever since, it has become one of ‘my favourite things’. I have probably watched it a million of times. So it is with some certainty that I know every detail, every line of dialogue and every song.

Having said this, I must now say: WOW! Seeing it live in the theatre, even in a language that is foreign to me, was an unforgettable experience.

What a cast!
Maria’s role is played by the Danish actress Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg, a performer who’s well known for having the most amazing voice – it’s perfect. Every gesture, every expression and every movement channels Julie Andrews to perfection – overall, it’s an outstanding interpretation.

It was incredible to watch her. Both I  and my partner were amazed and so were  the audience, who applauded her incessantly.

But she wasn’t the only one to makes us shiver with her songs. The children were also great. We sang along in our heads to ‘16 going on 17’ with Liesl, ‘My favourite things’ through the stormy night and ‘So Long, Farewell’ with the wonderful choreography performed by the children. Even the little one, Gretl, was incredibly like the one in the movie – so cute you wanted to squeeze her cheeks!

And I shouldn’t overlook a mention of some of the secondary, but important characters like the Baroness (Anne Suppli), Uncle Max (Steen Springborg), the nuns and the abbess, who is played by the world-famous Danish opera singer Lisbeth Balslev. The songs sung in the abbey near the beginning (‘How do you solve a problem like Maria’ and ‘Climb every mountain’) are beyond compare, and true to her reputation.

Best moments
Nothing is left out: the wedding, the puppet show, the bicycle riding, the nasty, slightly naive Nazis, all with choreography and scenery that bring the story to life vividly and magically.

We felt the love and got nervous when Maria and Captain Von Trapp dance the Ländler and have their moment and kiss for the very first time – an incredible scene that ends with ‘Something Good’.

And we finally got the ‘Edelweiss’ pay-off at the music festival – it was a little disappointing that Captain Von Trapp (Jens Jacob Tychsen) didn’t play it on the guitar first to his children. But you can’t have it all, can you? And boy, it’s difficult trying to better Christopher Plummer.

A love classic
The play is directed by Daniel Bohr, who has staged other major classics at Det NY Teater including ‘Annie’ and ‘Evita’. This time it was the turn of ‘The Sound of Music’, a love story of sacrifices and risks in the middle of a world that is fast approaching war.

Set in Austria, Captain Von Trapp is a widower whose wife has passed away leaving him with seven children and a lot of sadness in his heart. He has lost happiness. Maria, a young novice in the convent, who doesn’t look she has what it takes to be a nun, is sent by the abbess to take care of the Von Trapp children. The children are really naughty and several frauleins have passed through without success, but Maria wins their hearts and brings music back to the house. And yes, they fall in love.

If you have never seen it, I order  you to run to the store and buy the DVD. Watch it, love it, learn the songs and then go to the theatre to relive it again. It’s a night for the whole family!

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs