Customer Reviews

Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)

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While Wagner had written Rienzi and "The Fairies" before "The Flying Dutchman", it is this opera that still holds the stage and set the course for the rest of Wagner's career of writing heroic operas. This opera was based upon a real life experience Wagner had aboard ship in a terrific storm. It was during this trip he also heard the Norwegian tale of the damned captain doomed to sail the seas forever in his ghostly ship.

The gist of this opera is uncomplicated. The Dutchman has been cursed by the devil to sail the seas until judgment day unless he can find a woman whose love will remain faithful to him unto death. Every seven years he is allowed to go ashore to search for such a companion. The opera opens has his ship pulls into a Norwegian port. A captain named Deland has also sought harbor there to shelter from a storm. Deland knows the story of the Dutchman and has told the story countless times to his family and has designs on the Dutchman's legendary gold. The Dutchman learns that Deland has a daughter and receives his permission to woo her in exchange for his fortune. Deland readily agrees.

The daughter, Senta, is caught up in the romantic idea of saving the Dutchman from his doom, and when she meets his is drawn more strongly to him. However, a local hunter named Eric also has designs on her. The Dutchman overhears Eric's proclamations to Senta and feels betrayed. And though he actually loves Senta he declares whom he really is thinking it will drive her off. He immediately sets sail and she runs to a cliff calling to him. Proclaiming her faithfulness she throws herself into the sea. The Dutchman's ship immediately sinks and the now ghostly, but redeemed lovers are seen holding each other over the horizon.

There is more to the plot, but that is the main idea. The music is very dramatic and has the famous damnation motive that everyone recognizes immediately. The musical depiction of the sea and the elements stunned its first audiences in 1843 and holds power for us today.

This performance was recorded live in Milan in 1966 and is quite successful. Wolfgang Sawallisch conducted this performance and had already made his fame conducting opera including Wagner at Bayreuth. His abilities and understanding of this music and its drama is on full display here. Since it is a live performance the recording sound is not as lush and perfect as a studio recording would be, but there is a lot to be said for live performances and capturing all that excitement.

While the libretto is not included in this budget label, it can be purchased inexpensively and the music can be enjoyed without knowing exactly what is being said. Still, I would encourage that this not be your only version of this opera. This is very affordable and can be a good introduction or an additional view into this opera, but you will be better served with multiple perspectives.

This live 1966 La Scala performance, in somewhat muffled stereo, is a very good super-budget Dutchman. As is often the case from La Scala, one gets the excitment of a stage event, and the chorus, although a bit rough and ready, is by no means studio bound. They're in action all the time.

I am an admirer of Franz Crass, who remains musical throughout and avoids shouting his way through the Dutchman's part. Rysanek was a prominent Senta and here sings beautiflly even though she fires a few shots at her top notes which miss--both leads are emotionally involving. The Eric, as often happens, is a coarse second-rate tenor who shouts.

Swallisch offers no surprises form the pit but at least is very good. The sound greatly favors the soloists. There aare times in soft passages when the coughing form the audience is as loud as the lower strings in the orchestra, and a lot of detail is lost. We are basically listening to Wagner on the radio, with all the limitaitons that implies. but you won't find a more exciting Act III from studio recordings.

Esta misma EXTRAORDINARIA versión de Sawallisch, ya esta disponible en Phillips, búsquela, puesto que en este sello la calidad de sonido no es bueno. CÓMPRELA EN PHILLIPS. A mi gusto la mejor versión del Holandés de Richard Wagner.

This is a very nice recording but is very poorly documented and it should not be your only Hollander. It has no libretto (as usual with Opera d'Oro) and the tracks are not even fully identified. Moreover they do not correspond to the usual division which further complicates things. If you already own another version of this opera and want to sample different performances this is a good complement, given the price. Otherwise avoid it.