A musical journey with Nils Holgersson

Selma Lagerlöf’s Nils Holgersson was turned into a tiny tomte and travelled through Sweden on the back of a goose called Mårten. The Wonderful Adventures of Nils was originally a children’s geography book, but over the years it has become a classic that has been translated into many languages and is loved all over the world.

Nils Holgerson and the O/Modernt ensemble will now be making a musical tour around the world. Together with conductor and violinist Hugo Ticciati, Nils embarks on an adventure to distant lands where he encounters many kinds of music. No goose is at their disposal, so the musicians make use of Nils’s magic flying potion.

The journey begins in Sweden where Nils Holgersson is keen to learn about Swedish folk music. After a couple of folk tunes, he and the ensemble swiftly leave for the Americas where they become immersed in rapturous jazz standards and carnival rhythms.

In Africa, Nils is enchanted by all the rhythms and beautiful melodies, among them is the lullaby Little One Mine, from Ghana. In China, Nils Holgersson discovers unfamiliar harmonies and instruments, and in India he dances to Ravi Shankar’s Raga Piloo.

Back in Europe the well-travelled group acquaint themselves with Russian folk music, Italian romantic arias, French rustic dances and Viennese waltzes by, among others, Ivan Panitsky and Benjamin Britten.

Nils Holgersson’s wonderful adventures end back in Sweden with ABBA, one of our best-known musical exports, and Nils and the young ensemble come together in a unison Thank You for the Music.

Anna Hedelius