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★★★★★
The best of comedy in music with Victor Borge
Many years ago I saw a television special starring Victor Borge. At the time, I had little knowledge of classical music and I did not really find it interesting. Nowadays, however, I listen to classical music all the time and I am able to appreciate the jokes, so I recently watched this video of Borge in concert.
First off, Victor Borge is a very funny man. Not only are his facial expressions and body language humourous, but his witty remarks and plays on words show the true, spirited nature of his character. Secondly, he is a very talented pianist. This is especially apparent during the last 15 to 20 minutes of the video where he plays a series of waltzes and lullabies. It is easy to see why he was a top-notch performer back in the 1930s -- and he still is to this very day.
The live concert on this video contains many of his classic routines. Some of the musical comedies include the Salieri Opera (which I have also seen listed as A Mozart Opera -- same routine), the 2nd Rhapsody by "Fliszt", and his accompaniment to Marylyn Mulvey during an aria. Equally funny are some of his non-musical comedy routines, including Inflationary Language and Phonetic Punctuation [sput]. These acts are even funnier when viewed on video than when I first listened to them on CD. The video has enough routines to keep you in stitches for at least an hour after it's over.
Overall, I highly recommend this video to anyone who has and has not witnessed the comedy in music of Victor Borge. You will not be disappointed by this well-performed one-man show that has delighted viewers/listeners for over four decades.
June 2000 · Movies and TV