Victor Borge Delights Pops Crowd

(first published in The Cincinnati Post June 29, 1991)

You know you're going to have a good time when the orchestra breaks into smiles as the guest artist steps out on stage, as the Cincinnati Pops did Friday night at Riverbend.

They couldn't help it. It was Victor Borge.

Performing and guest conducting with the Pops, the legendary pianist/funny man kept the orchestra and crowd in stitches with his unique blend of comedy and music.

"Welcome to the Bend," he said, warming up the crowd. Then it was vintage Borge, generously dispensed (the show was still going on at 10:45).

All his classic routines were there: "Happy Birthday" on the piano in the style of various composers (Chopin, Brahms), conducting Smetana's Overture to "The Bartered Bride" with the music skewered on the stand in front of him.

Words are almost as much fun for Borge as music, as he showed with readings illustrating his famous "phonetic punctuation" (never has an exclamation point sounded so sexy) and "inflationary language." You know, translating "be-fore" into "be-five," etc.

Only Borge could make economics funny.

Mostly, however, he makes his points with music.

Improvisation is central to his act, and he can break up a crowd by seguing from the "Moonlight Sonata" to "I've Got You Under My Skin" to "Happy Birthday." When Borge plays it straight, he scores, too. His Fantasy on Tunes from Lehar, performed with the Pops, sounded lush and romantic; Debussy's "Claire de Lune" for piano and strings, soft and tender. Celebrating his 50th year in the United States, Borge is still hauling in the statistics. He stars in a videocassette that has sold more than 300,000 copies, far more than any other classical artist. He holds the Guinness world record for his one-man show on Broadway in the 1950s, with 849 performances. In 1984 he performed 12 consecutive sold-out performances at New York's Carnegie Hall.

They don't call him "The Great Dane" for nothing.

Concert review - VICTOR BORGE. Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Friday night, Riverbend. PROGRAM: Strauss, Overture to "Die Fledermaus." Mendelssohn, Scherzo from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Fantasy on Tunes from Lehar for Piano and Orchestra (arr. Gamley/Borge). Ponchielli, "Dance of the Hours." Debussy/arr. Borge, "Claire de Lune" for Piano and Strings. Sibelius, "Finlandia." Attendance: 5,230.