Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)
The first performance of Der fliegende Holländer was held in Königlich Sächsisches Hoftheater on 2 January 1843. The world premiere was conducted by Richard Wagner. The first production of Der fliegende Holländer ath the Bayreuth Festival was in 1901.
Simon Estes in the ground breaking production by Harry Kupfer in Bayreuth (1978-85). This production was filmed in 1985 and is available on DVD.
Following the successful premiere of Der fliegende Holländer on 2 January 1843, Richard Wagner is offered, and accepts, the post of Kapellmeister to the royal Saxon court in Dresden. He completes the poem of Tannhäuser in April and in the summer begins work on the music. In July he conducts his Das Liebesmahl der Apostel (The Love-Feast of the Apostles), featuring a vast chorus of 1,200 amateur singers and an orchestra of 100 gathered in Dresden’s Frauenkirche, in whose galleries the singers are arranged.
Der fliegende Holländer was produced in the following cities the first years after the world premiere in 1843
1843 | Riga Kassel |
1844 | Berlin (well received by the public, but not revived before 1868) |
1852 | Zürich (conducted by Wagner) |
1853 | Weimar (Franz Liszt) |
[...] | |
1901 | Bayreuth: First production (see poster below) |
The puppets used at the end of Bayreuth's 1901 production.
Said about Der fliegende Holländer
Richard Wagner
The figure of the "Flying Dutchman" is a mythical creation of the Folk: a primal trait of human nature speaks out from it with heart-enthralling force. This trait, in its most universal meaning, is the longing after rest from amid the storms of life.
Richard Wagner in "A Communication to my Friends
Calixto Bieito
My interpretation of the Dutchman is very simple: It is the story of the Western European man today, who is losing his job in this kind of economic system we have today. He is depressive, thinking about where he can find loyalty, fidelity, solidarity - where he can find something true.
Calixto Bieito
Catarina Ligendza as Senta in Der fliegende Holländer (film version from 1974, available on DVD).
Der fliegende Holländer in different languages
German title
Der fliegende Holländer
English title
The Flying Dutchman
French title
La Vaisseau Fantôme
Spanish title
El holandés errante
Polish title
Latający Holender
Hungarian title
A bolygó hollandi
Dutch title
De Vliegende Hollander
Danish title
Den flyvende hollænder
Swedish title
Den flygande holländaren
Norwegian title
Den flyvende hollender
Finnish title
Lentävä hollantilainen
Wagner operas in other languages
The Flying Dutchman: Articles and reviews
Bayreuth 2012: Mark Berry: The Flying Dutchman (Gloger)
Bayreuth 2015: Erling E. Guldbrandsen: The Flying Dutchman (Gloger)
Jerry Floyd on Haenchen/Kušej: Der fliegende Holländer
Royal Opera House 2011: Mark Berry on Tim Albery's Dutchman