The world of Hans Christian Andersen is seen through the eyes of children. There is the every-day wonder of an ugly duckling being transformed into a swan; the puffed-up Emperor being fooled by his own importance; the tender tragedy of a little match girl; the upright honesty of John rewarded by his travelling companion. By bringing true feelings to these stories, Andersen's tales have become part of universal folk lore.

Music: Tchaikovsky, Delibes, Rimsky-Korsakov, Adam, Weber, Gounod