Mike was Right
Once again Mike Birman has written such an ample and enticing review of this filmed opera that I feel no obligation to do more than refer you to him. In fact, I bought this DVD on Mike's recommendation, and I'm grateful. I'm hardly a steady booster of Richard Wagner; I've been known to declare that he was a major influence on opera but a minor composer. Let's also admit that I distrust his philosophical burden. The Flying Dutchman, however, is an honest evening's entertainment, an eerie ghost story with rollicking sailors and comely house-maidens. The prominence of two expressive roles for basses, with extended bass duets, makes the opera attractive to guys like me, who might otherwise choose to watch baseball.

The "legend" of the Flying Dutchman was brought to Wagner's attention by the greatest German poet of the 19th Century, the Jew Heinrich Heine. Wagner apparently used Heine's "Memoirs of Herr von Schnabelwopski" as his main source. The drama, for once, is compact and coherent. The whole production is a merciful 117 minutes of excitement.

On a personal note: Oddly, I didn't remember that I played the French horn part in the overture to this opera when I was 16 years old, at a summer honors camp for high school orchestra musicians. I switched from horn to bassoon the next year, but not because of Wagner. Honestly, I loved playing that overture and remembered it well enough to hum along with the horn. It's a pretty major composition for a minor composer.

Riveting
This is my second Flying Dutchman I've seen on DVD (the first being one from the Savolinna Opera Festival with Behrens and Backman), and I much prefer this one, for a few reasons, not the least of which is the *realism*. The Dutchman and Daland are saling on actual ships through actual water; there's as much emphasis on acting as singing, and there are some truly thrilling dramatic orchestral moments.

Vocally, Catarina Ligendza (Senta) and Donald McIntyre (The Dutchman) do wonderfully well, and the rest of the cast is also good to great--no one here is graded a C or lower. In response to the review that complains of the "cuts" in the opera, Sawallisch *deliberately* performed the 1843 version because it was, to him, more convincing and dramatic--and I'm inclined to agree. This is the DVD Der Fliegende Hollander of choice, since it is dramatically, musically, and visually exciting.

Very highly recommended.

Terrific 'Flying Dutchman'
This is a wondefully entertaining filmed version of Wagner's opera. Many little cinematic touches abound, such as the ghastly representation of the Dutchman's crew as they try to join in the general dancing and celebration, and the ships themselves. Donald McIntyre is a brooding, powerful Dutchman, and he is supported by excellent vocal work from Catarina Ligendza (whom I've encountered before) and Bengt Rundgren (whom I haven't). Wolfgang Sawallisch conducts the opera in a brisk and energetic manner. Very enjoyable and highly recommended!

To love and to hate!
First: 8(sic) EIGHT CUTS ON THE SCORE!

1)The steersman song's 1st strophe (consequence - the delicate balance of a strict strophe (1st) and a "corrupted" strophe (2nd, by insertions of one the "tempest" motives) is broken!

2)The usual (but not more tolerable for that) in the final part of the last Daland/Dutchman duet.

3)The also usual (and also intolerable!) on the 2nd of the 3 spinning song's strophes.

4)The 1st of Erik's aria 2 strophes (revolting!)

5)At the Dutchman/Daland/Senta trio "stretta".

6)At the 1st phrase Dutchman's Crew song!

7)The most stupefying one: the 2(sic), two bars that separate Erik's aria and the Dutchman's entrance ("Verloren, ach verloren" etc.).

8) And the also also usual (and also...intolerable) right in the middle of Senta?Erik/Dutchman1s trio.

If one may doubt that things really grow old, this movie gives ample evidence of the contrary; gritted teeth for despair, half-open mouth for sadness, confusion, despair. Them major reason for this editing is that, back in 1975, opera people thought that Wagner operas form his first compositional period should be "corrected" (a kind of "wielandism")...this is a complete nonsense, because Wagner knew (almost) exactly how and what he wanted to write by that time (the changes from the very first version [now recorded on period instruments], the 1843 one and its ""Tristan-like-ending"" later version show preciselly the necessary alterations).

The press-release claims that this is the 2nd(1843) version, but it isn't, because the descending instrumental line just before the Dutchman's phrase "...Erfahre das Geschick...) is played only by the strings, not by the brass section...on the other hand, senta sings the ballade is sung a whole tone higher (A minor), a choice in the 2nd version, and the soprano's line just before the ballade, when she addresses the chorus, is also from the 1843version.

This,Sawallisch 2nd recording is a "via-media" between his savage Bayreuth version and his late, sleepy one (on Laserdisc, no longer available). The conductor's unique use of rubato in Wagner, his intelligent view that this is an work from the beginning/middle of the 19th century (the conversational passages are really classical im articulation and tempi), his structural and textural clarity are the main assets here; the sound picture is warm ( a little agressive sometimes, probably due to the limitations of the DVD medium, as far as the sound is concerned), with a acceptable "holographic" image, that just recedes at the loudest moments (the clash between the nowegians and the ghost crew). Transitions are expertly done, although the above-mentioned sleepnes raises his head already at some points. The weakest moment of the conductor is at the final trio and the Dutchman statement, when things are rushed and McIntyre, consequently, sounds a little puny.
This singer was at his height by then, with a true evenness of timbre, easyness in the whole part's tessitura, and a real understanding of the character's more fragile side (his "...weit komm'ich her, verwehrt bei Sturm und Wetter..." sounds almost with no vibrato, like a child), not flinching at any part of his monologue's, no matter how difficult it may be. His combination of text and articulation is also a paragon for the role, although he has some problems with "Umlaut" vowels.

Ligendza is second only to Varnay in the soprano part, for she not only sings it at its original pitch (as mentioned above), but hits all the notes dead-center, specially at the high B's ("...treu dir, bis zum Tod!"). His acting is a little stiff, but she isn't alone...

Winkler and Rundgren are what they are: top 2nd clas singers, Ek is a wide-eyed Steersman, chorus and Orch on "B" form.

How old the movie is? Well, suffice to day that the scene between the Dutch and norwegian crew are a good teaser of whar could be:"Night of the living dead; the musical", and the actual Senta's jump was like the one from who is going very carefully inside a very cold bath, and, since this s "original" Staged performance, why the Dutchman and Senta sink into a seemingly bubbling hot sea? Still, for the lack of better...

A Powerful Production
It's much better than I've expected. Very dark, very atmospheric, actually some parts reminded me of carpenter's "the fog". McIntyre is very good as the doomed captain and Ligendza with her cold beauty is a marvelous Senta. The acting is of a very high quality and visually the production is certainly inspired. I find this as a great alternative to Kupfer's Bayreuth production which was also very imaginative and powerful.
But actually I am very happy to possess a strongly faithful adaptation of this magnificent opera, made by a director who certainly knows how to build the harmony between visuals and the music.
The audio recording is also first rate. Sawallisch is a great wagner conductor as usual, Ligendza with her huge voice delivers thrilling results especially in the famous ballad. McIntyre is an intelligent singer who manages to perform Hollander's menacing and terrifying aspects but also his melancholy and tragic fate. The orchestra is not bayreuth but still provides grandiose moments under Sawallisch's command. The chorus and the rest of the cast are also excellent.
Dts sound is brilliant providing a very organic sound experience. English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese subtitles are also included. Highly recommended.