The Flying Dutchman (Der Fliegende Hollaender): Romantic Opera in Three Acts

Set against a storm‑tossed Norwegian coast, this romantic opera opens with the doomed brig of Captain Daland stumbling upon the ghostly silhouette of the Flying Dutchman. The eerie ship, laden with cursed treasure, offers a bargain: safety for the vessel and a bride for its phantom captain in exchange for a promise of redemption. Wagner’s soaring orchestration paints the sea’s fury and the spectral presence with vivid, haunting colour.

Among the crew’s relatives, young Senta becomes obsessed with a portrait of the phantom ship, sensing the lingering sorrow behind its legend. She swears to become the steadfast love that can break the curse, even as her father arranges a pragmatic marriage to the mysterious captain. The tension between her romantic idealism and the pragmatic concerns of family and a mortal suitor sets the stage for a dramatic struggle of loyalty and fate.