Der Fliegende Holländer

Although the young Richard Wagner had already scored a public success with his epic Rienzi, Der Fliegende Holländer—his take on the myth of the otherworldly Flying Dutchman—is the earliest of his operatic creations to remain in the standard repertory. The work’s score is an extraordinary combination of operatic lyricism, theatrical insight, and magnificent effects, and the seeds of his future musicodramatic development are already evident in this charged drama. In this performance, rising maestro Thomas Guggeis conducts a cast of seasoned Wagnerians, including bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny in the title role and soprano Elza van den Heever as Senta, the woman determined to redeem him. Alongside them, tenor Eric Cutler is the man unsuccessfully vying for Senta’s affections, and bass Dmitry Belosselskiy is her father, Daland.