The Flying Dutchman on DVD and CD By Corliss Phillabaum (corliss@uwm.edu) Introduction DVD

The vivid depiction of sea, ships and the supernatural in Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman

calls for comparably vivid visual presentation. The opera’s first production in Dresden was not well-received, and this failure was surely due in part to the use of scenery cobbled together from the theatre’s old stock. Modern stage technology, especially lighting, lends itself to imaginative scenic solutions, and the five currently available productions available on DVD take full advantage of this capability, though not always to the work’s advantage.

The links below will open my comments on the available DVD recordings of the opera.

1. MY TOP RECOMMENDATIONS

2. AN ALTERNATIVE OF INTEREST

3. NOT RECOMMENDED CD

Although extended excerpts from Richard Wagner’s operas were made during the days of 78 rpm records, the scale of the works meant that complete performances did not begin to appear until the advent of magnetic tape recording, which could handle the long time spans of the music. Tape was used initially in Germany to record performances for radio broadcast during World War II and when long-playing records were introduced in the mid-1950's, some of these taped performances appeared on vinyl. Although some of these versions had surprisingly good sound, recordings which could do justice to Wagner’s music did not begin to appear until the 1960's.

The links below will open the corresponding sections of my overview of currently

available complete recordings on CD of the opera.

1. MY TOP RECOMMENDATIONS

2. ALTERNATE VERSIONS OF INTEREST

3. WAGNER’S ORIGINAL 1842 (PARIS) VERSION

4. HISTORICAL RECORDINGS 5. NOT RECOMMENDED

1. MY TOP RECOMMENDATIONS Nelsson: Estes, Balslev, Schunk, Salminen (Kupfer, Bayreuth, 1985) (DG)

Originally created in 1978, this staging of Der fliegende Holländer was regularly revived over the years and finally filmed in 1985. Director Harry Kupfer’s approach to the opera was a radical departure from tradition and made Senta the central figure, rather than the Dutchman. The entire story was depicted as Senta’s fantasies which emerged from her obsession with the portrait of the legendary seaman. Danish soprano Lisbeth Balslev, who played Senta throughout the run of the production, was present onstage continuously from the first notes of the overture to the end of Act Three, a true marathon since the production followed Wagner’s original intention and was played without any intermission. In the theatre she was visible to the audience at all times and although the video doesn’t show her continuously, video director Brian Large builds in frequent reminders of her presence through full stage views, closeups, and overlaying her image at times on the action.

In every respect this daring production is a compelling musical experience. Balslev is a vivid actress and sings the role with power and beauty. (Since the recording preceded the opening of the 1985 Festival, it was made over a number of days. As a result there are no signs of fatigue in the final scenes.) Senta’s idealized fantasy Dutchman is equally impressive as played by bass-baritone Simon Estes with commanding physical presence and dark, rock-solid sound. Daland was one of Matti Salminen’s signature roles and it is striking how his characterization here responds to Kupfer’s interpretation and contrasts with his playing of the role at the 1989 Savonlinna Festival, which is also available on DVD. Tenor Robert Schunk manages to bring considerable vocal beauty to Erik’s music and plays the role as a much more sympathetic character than usual. Woldemar Nelsson shapes the score powerfully and the sound quality of the DVD is strong and clear, if a trifle bass-shy. Kupfer’s staging in Peter Sykora’s striking settings is dramatically exciting and a visual feast. During the Overture the women of the Norwegian port are gathered in the community spinning room during a wild storm, and when the portrait of the Dutchman suddenly falls from the wall, Senta picks it up and cradles it in her arms, as she continues to do throughout the opera. At the end of the Overture there is a stunning scene shift to the cove at Sandwike where Daland’s ship has taken shelter from the storm. When the Dutchman’s ship arrives, its life-sized prow looms up in the background and then opens like two giant hands to reveal the Dutchman chained inside. His chains fall away as another seven years have passed and he can once again come onshore to seek his salvation. Senta, on a platform high above the stage on one side is a witness to the entire act before she descends to join the action in the second scene. Within Kupfer’s concept, every detail in Wagner’s libretto and score is given a precise representation as seen in Senta’s obsessed mind.

This is a truly imaginative interpretation of the opera, brilliantly performed and staged with remarkable stagecraft. Highly recommended. Sawallisch: McIntyre, Ligendza, Winkler, Rundgren (Film, Kaslik, Bavarian State Opera forces, 1974) (DG)

This fine production is unique among video versions of the opera in that it is not drawn from a stage production of the opera. The soundtrack was pre-recorded by the soloists with the Chorus and Orchestra of the Bavarian State Opera and the film was then shot on a sound stage a few months later with the singers lip-synching their own voices. The filming made use of the large water tank facilities available in the Bavaria-Film studios and brought a high degree of

fantastic realism to the opera. The film is also somewhat unusual in making use of an edition of the score prepared by its conductor, Wolfgang Sawallisch, which includes some elements of Wagner’s first version. Most notably this version omits the Atransfiguration music Wagner later added to the Overture and the Act 3 finale, to reinforce his original somewhat embarrassing stage direction that the embracing Dutchman and Senta are seen ascending to Heaven as his ship sinks. (Kaslik’s film makes it clear that Senta’s sacrifice is not in vain, but without the kitsch!)

The resulting film is a richly satisfying version of the opera. Donald McIntyre is a less ghostly Dutchman than some but he does full justice to the character’s emotional torment, and sings the role very well. Catarina Ligendza does equal justice to Senta’s obsessive devotion to this image that comes to life and other than some strained high notes sings well. Bengt Rundgren is a particularly human Daland, capturing both his mix of love for his daughter and greed for the Dutchman’s treasure. Hermann Winkler sings the role of Eric effectively, though his carefully groomed appearance rather belies his identity as an outdoors man and hunter. Sawallisch conducts a driving, authoritative reading of the score and the fine orchestra and chorus do full justice to the music. These rich components are given vivid cinematic life by Vaclav Kaslik’s direction and cinematography. From the highly musical visualization of the overture, utilizing designers’ sketches for the production right through to the zombie-like appearance of the Dutchman’s crew it is a visually powerful evocation of Wagner’s dramatic early masterpiece. Highly recommended.

2. AN ALTERNATIVE OF INTEREST Segerstam: Grundheber, Behrens. Sirkiä, Salminen (Bäckman, Savonlinna Festival, 1989) (Kultur)

Musically this live performance from Finland’s Savonlinna Festival is very strong. Conductor Leif Segerstam offers a richly dramatic approach to the score with plenty of drive when appropriate but he is also willing to allow time for the more introspective passages. Both visually and vocally baritone Franz Grundheber and soprano Hildegard Behrens are powerful musically and dramatically as the Dutchman and Senta. Both artists bring a concentrated intensity to their roles, even when physically motionless, their faces and eyes communicate the depths of their feelings and the closeup photography takes full advantage of this strength. Bass Matti Salminen contributes a richly sung and wonderfully avaricious Daland, and tenor Jorma Silvasti makes something memorable of the supporting role of the Steersman.

Unfortunately video director Aarno Cronvall provides a distracting framework for this fine production by trying to hide the fact that it is a theatre performance. He never gives us a full view of the settings, much less any indication of their placement in the courtyard of Olavinlinna Castle or of the presence of an audience. Segerstam is shown conducting from time to time, but we never see an orchestra. Orchestral transitions are illustrated with repetitious images of a drawing of the Dutchman’s ship overlaid with equally repetitious suggestions of waves. The artificiality of this futile attempt to deny the fact that this is a live performance is self-defeating and ultimately distracting. The recorded sound is vivid if somewhat bass-shy and video quality is good. Even with this misguided video approach some of the power of the performance comes through, but it could have been so much better!

3. NOT RECOMMENDED Thielemann: Merbeth, Youn, Muflek, Selig (Gloger, Bayreuth Festival, 2013) (Opus Arte)

If you expect to find a performance of Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer on this DVD you are in for a surprise. Although the soundtrack is a very well-conducted performance by Christian Thielemann of Wagner’s words and music, the story enacted on the stage is something very different. In director Jan Philipp Gloger’s version Daland is a wealthy manufacturer whose main product is electric table fans. As the story begins, he and his Asteersman have taken refuge from a wild storm in a rowboat on a very dark coast. Fortunately their handsome business suits are fresh and spotless and their well-groomed hair is unruffled. They are also a comedy team in the manner of Laurel and Hardy and are constantly doing silly routines. When they go to sleep, a very serious figure emerges from the darkness with a wheeled suitcase. After he tells his life story, he negotiates with Daland over the purchase of his daughter for whom he offers gold and jewels although when he opens his suitcase it contains only paper money. As they set off for Daland’s hometown, Daland’s work crew emerges, neatly dressed in identical suits minus jackets and sing a lively sailor’s song as they remove the black drapes which have concealed the shipping room of Daland’s factory. There a large group of women in identical crisp blue uniforms are happily packing fans for shipment as they sing a song about spinning, complete with fetching dance moves and poses, making it clear that we are really seeing a musical comedy. Daland’s daughter, Senta, is not in uniform and is not packing. Instead she is putting the finishing touches on a crude figure of the Dutchman made of cardboard and scrap wood smeared with tar. Erik is the maintenance man who first enters to replace a light bulb and stays to quarrel with Senta. Later, when Senta agrees to marry the Dutchman and be his salvation she dons a large pair of angel’s wings which she has made from the same materials as the statue.

I could go on, but you get the idea. In the end, since there is no sea available, Senta stabs herself with another piece of scrap wood to prove she is faithful unto death. The Dutchman reciprocates and Senta climbs up on to the mountain of shipping cartons to embrace him as the curtain closes. But wait! The show isn’t over yet. The orchestra keeps playing and the curtain reopens on another packing scene, this time of crude two-foot tall electrified figurines commemorating the bloody embrace of Senta and the Dutchman.

The splendid Festival Orchestra and Chorus perform the soundtrack very well and the singers are all very good, especially bass-baritone Samuel Youn as the Dutchman. Unfortunately it’s hard to concentrate on the music with that lively song and dance show about the fan-maker and the ghost going on all the time. Not recommended unless you are a fan of fans. Haenchen: Naglestad, Uusitalo, Jentzsch, Lloyd (Kušej, Netherlands Opera, 2010) (Opus Arte)

As a CD recording this performance would be very attractive. Hartmut Haenchen conducts with plenty of power and color for the climaxes but he also finds much hushed intimacy which allows a corresponding intimacy for the scenes between Catherine Naglestad’s Senta and Juha Uuisitalo’s Dutchman and even her scenes with Erik, a role which benefits greatly from being sung lyrically by a fine young tenor, Marco Jentzsch.

Unfortunately the strong musical performance is saddled with an extreme directorial concept by Martin Kušej which fights Wagner’s music and text every step of the way and destroys any possible enjoyment of the opera. Updating an opera can often be effective but not

when it imposes irrelevant symbolism on the work which makes nonsense of it. As written the opera begins with Daland’s ship having taken shelter from a wild storm in a bay which Daland describes as a Abarren rocky beach, but Mario Zehetgruber’s setting presents a pristine port waiting room with glass doors at the rear enclosing a glassed-in foyer. Daland’s ship has become a wealthy man’s yacht carrying a load of garishly dressed guests. When the young steersman stands watch while the Acrew sleeps, he steals a gold lamé jacket from a passenger and sings his solo in a follow spot to lull the passengers to sleep. When the Dutchman offers gold and jewels to Daland we see only folding money (Euros). In Act Two instead of the common room where the women gather to spin we see a chic spa with a swimming pool visible through the glass doors upstage where women are pretending to swim in the foot-deep water or (mainly) getting dressed and doing their makeup while they sing their spinning song. Mary scolds Senta for not spinning, but Senta is actually the only person onstage who IS spinning. During this scene black-clad members of the Dutchman’s crew are seeing trying to enter the pool area and being shot down, spreading blood everywhere. Throughout the production this sort of contradiction between the staging and Wagner’s words and music continues, culminating in a ludicrous climax in which the Dutchman (the man who is denied the peace of death) is shot dead by the jealous Erik, who also guns down Senta. As the bodies lie there near the sea background, the transfiguration music Wagner added to stress that Senta’s sacrifice has redeemed the Dutchman is played, but apparently the director wasn’t listening. Strongly not recommended.

1. MY TOP RECOMMENDATIONS Konwitschny: Schech, Fischer-Dieskau, Schock, Frick (Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin, 1960) (Brilliant Classics) (2:26:22)

I can remember being impressed with this recording when it first appeared on vinyl in 1962. Hearing it again on well-transferred CD’s and minus the noisy surfaces of Angel Records USA pressings, I am even more impressed and totally swept away by this thrilling performance. Veteran conductor Franz Konwitschny not only whips up a storm in the big orchestral moments but also shapes the musical dialogue scenes with a sure sense of the dramatic conflicts they express. The vivid stereo sound balances voices and orchestra so that every moment has its full impact and every word is clear. Even if you don’t speak German, the sense of dramatic action comes through strongly. The work of the singers is on a comparably high level. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau conveys the suffering and longing of the Dutchman with incomparable eloquence and his lyric baritone is a joy to hear in a role that is often declaimed with little nuance. (Fischer-Dieskau is not usually remembered for his Wagner, but his appearances at the Bayreuth Festival in the mid-1950's,Wolfram, Amfortas, Fritz Kothner, were truly memorable, as were his recordings as Telramund, Kurvenal and Hans Sachs.) His Senta, soprano Marianne Schech, lacks Fischer-Dieskau’s unique expressiveness with text but she sings with passion and commitment. As Daland bass Gottlob Frick brings his unmistakable dark sound and his vivid stage personality to the role, while tenor Rudolf Schock makes Erik an worthy antagonist to the Dutchman and sings the challenging music with ringing tone. Mezzo Sieglinde Wagner is a rich-voiced Mary and as a final piece of luxury casting, the Steersman is sung by the great German lyric tenor, Fritz Wunderlich. The current Brilliant Classics edition is bargain-priced and although it does not include a libretto, one is available at their web site. Highly recommended. Levine: Morris, Voigt, Heppner, Rootering (Metropolitan Opera, 1994) (Sony Classical) (2:32:02)

James Levine’s broadly paced reading clocks in at a timing close to those of Knappertsbusch and Klemperer, but whereas those conductors make the music seem ponderous, Levine maintains a strong line of dramatic flow and action which builds to powerful climaxes. His superbly responsive orchestra and chorus are caught in rich, vivid sound making for a splendid listening experience.

Levine’s approach is also highly individual. Although the climactic moments have plenty of power, he also treats many scenes as intimate, interior monologues, particularly the Dutchman’s major monologues in Act 1 and Act 2. Even some of Erik’s music, usually sung rather hysterically, is treated lyrically and sensitively. This approach can only work if the singers have the ability to sing softly without losing expressiveness, and the cast in this recording rises ably to the challenge. James Morris’ intimate approach to the major monologues is a beautiful example of intense, expressive singing with hushed sound, and Levine and the orchestra are with him every step of the way. (When Morris first began preparing the major Wagnerian roles, he coached some of them with Hans Hotter, whose combination of power and intimacy had been a part of his unique mastery of this repertoire.)

All of the singers in this richly satisfying performance were caught in their vocal prime. Deborah Voigt’s warm, plangent tone and intense involvement were ideal for Senta and Ben Heppner’s easy command of the tricky tessitura of Erik’s music, combined with Levine’s lyrical treatment of passages that can seem frantic, allows the character to come through as a genuinely

sensitive and appealing rival to the mysterious Dutchman. Bass Jan-Hendrik Rootering is a warm-voiced Daland and tenor Paul Groves makes an appealing interlude of the Steersman’s sleepy serenade. This is an outstanding performance and strongly recommended. Solti: Bailey, Martin, Kollo, Talvela (Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, 1976) (Decca) (2:18:30)

From the first bars of the overture it is clear that this major orchestra is ideal for this colorful score and has been captured in excellent stereo. The strong impression continues as the fine chorus and soloists are added to the mix in ideal listening balance with the orchestra, all under the galvanizing direction of Sir Georg Solti. Solti combines power and eloquence throughout the performance and brings a strong sense of drama and fine pacing to the work. He wisely avoids trying to make the entire score sound like later Wagner and plays the distinctive musical tone of each scene to the hilt, bringing a wonderful dramatic variety to the succession of scenes. His fine cast is well up to the challenge. Norman Bailey’s dusky baritone creates a vivid Dutchman and Janis Martin offers a Senta with warm, beautiful tone and dramatic commitment; only a very few high climaxes stretch her resources. René Kollo is a more lyrical Erik than usual, to the benefit of the role, and Martti Talvela is here a tower of vocal strength and vivid characterization. Highly recommended. Janowski: Dohmen, Merbeth, Smith, Salminen (Radio Chorus and Symphony Orchestra Berlin, 2010) (Pentatone) (Hybrid Multi-channel SACD, playable in stereo on standard CD players) (2:06:26)

Marek Janowski’s recordings of Wagner’s ten major operas have been made over several years, each deriving from a single concert performance with the Orchestra and Chorus of Berlin Radio. The Flying Dutchman, recorded in 2010 in the Berlin Philharmonie, benefits from the fine acoustic of the hall and warm, clear recorded sound, especially when heard in the mult-channel SACD layer of the disc. Janowski is a fine Wagner conductor whose approach is dramatic with fleet tempos, as the timing of this set attests, only the two period instrument versions and Ferenc Fricsay’s 1953 RIAS Berlin recording are comparable. Janowski’s performance never seems rushed and his energetic approach provides a supportive framework for his fresh-voiced soloists. (One of these fresh voices belongs to the indestructible Finnish bass, Matti Salminen, who was 65 at the time of the recording.) The cast is uniformly strong, with a particularly expressive Dutchman from bass-baritone Alfred Dohmen, who catches vividly the desperation of the tormented seaman. Ricarda Merbeth’s strong, mature voice as Senta is a good match for this Dutchman and their scenes together really catch fire. Robert Dean Smith is a straightforward Erik and Salminen’s Daland is a colorful and endearing scoundrel. This is a compelling performance and with Pentatone’s glowing sound is strongly recommended. AND AN OUTSTANDING DUTCHMAN IN ENGLISH Parry: Tomlinson, Stemme, Begley, Halvarson (London Philharmonic Orchestra, 2004) (Chandos) (Sung in English) (2:21:59)

Chandos has produced an extensive series of operas in English, and this 2004 studio recording of The Flying Dutchman is one of their best. In the title role bass-baritone John Tomlinson, who was a brilliant Wotan in Harry Kupfer’s Bayreuth staging of the The Ring, brings dark vocal power and passionate commitment along with crystal clear projection of the

English text to the role. His Senta, soprano Nina Stemme, offers one of the finest accounts of her role on disc, singing with warm tone, a seamless scale, and great intensity, and, in the tradition of such Swedish singers as Nicolai Gedda, her English puts many native English-speakers to shame. The remaining members of the cast provide sterling support and David Parry draws plenty of dramatic force from his fine orchestra and chorus. Christopher Cowell’s English translation is faithful, clear and straightforward and the booklet includes a full copy of the English text. The recorded sound is warm and transparent and well-balanced with the voices so that the text comes through clearly. The recording is also a rarity these days in taking advantage of the capabilities of stereo to clarify the flow of the dramatic action. This is a very moving performance and unless you object in principle to opera in translation and have fluent German, you may find the experience of hearing this opera in a language you understand a revelation. (And it is worth noting that Wagner himself always insisted that his operas be sung in the language of the audience, the meaning of his words was more important to him than their sound!) Strongly recommended.

2. ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS OF INTEREST Von Dohnányi: Hale, Behrens, Protschka, Rydl (Vienna Philharmonic, 1991) (London/Decca) (2:25:07)

The rich sound of the great Vienna Philharmonic is beautifully caught in this studio recording with the voices in good balance. Christoph von Dohnányi’s reading tends to broad tempos but he sustains the dramatic flow well in support of the involved interpretations of the soloists. Both Robert Hale (Dutchman) and Hildegard Behrens (Senta) bring considerable intensity to their roles and rise strongly to the musical challenges. They also make Wagner’s words count, although Behrens’ diction can be a bit cloudy at times. Josef Protschka is a solid Erik and Kurt Rydl sings well as Daland, though his personality is a bit bland. This is a performance of considerable distinction and worth hearing. Barenboim: Struckmann, Eaglen, Seiffert, Holl (Staatskapelle Berlin, 2001) (Teldec) (2:15:10)

This is a very well-recorded and general satisfying performance. Its nature as a studio recording is evident in the lack of any theatrical use of the possibilities of stereo - the soloists are anchored stage center and the chorus is arrayed across the sound stage in concert position. However Barenboim whips up considerable excitement and the soloists are generally dramatically engaged, while the slightly forward placement of the voices and generally good diction of the cast do Wagner’s words justice. The most distinctive element of the performance, aside from the presence of Rolando Villazon as the Steersman, is Barenboim’s decision to return Senta’s ballad to its original high key, a rarity in performances today. Unfortunately soprano Jane Eaglen’s voice is not shown to advantage in this high tessitura, although she sings the role attractively otherwise. Barenboim also uses Wagner’s original endings for the overture and for Act Three, omitting the Atransfiguration music Wagner added many years later, also a fairly unusual choice in modern performances.

The cast is uniformly strong. Falk Struckmann’s dark, powerful bass-baritone creates a compelling Dutchman, less introspective than some, but doing justice to the anguish of the character. Eaglen’s warm soprano is attractive except in higher passages where it takes on an edge, and she is more expressive here than I have usually heard her. Robert Holl is a warm-voiced and rather sympathetic Daland, while Peter Seiffert’s tenor (as Erik) shows traces of the effect of singing the heavier Wagner roles he had recently been taking on. Villazon is an appealing Steersman and his German is excellent. Not a top choice but worth hearing. Böhm: Stewart, Jones, Esser, Ridderbusch (Bayreuth Festival, 1971) (DG) (2:14:07)

Conductor Karl Böhm was known for his brisk approach to Wagner’s operas and this 1971 live performance catches his energetic style. The performance has a tremendous boldness and drive with powerful climaxes. Heading the cast is American baritone Thomas Stewart, a highly expressive, even volatile, Dutchman, who sings with fine, ringing tone and outstandingly clear delivery of the text. His Senta, soprano Gwyneth Jones, throws herself into the role with abandon and plenty of rich tone, though her mushy diction is a handicap. Karl Ridderbusch is a dignified and vocally convincing Daland, while tenor Hermin Esser is a rather squally Erik, The recorded sound is big and aggressive but rather congested at the climaxes. Not a top choice but rather exciting listening and Stewart is well worth hearing.

Knappertsbusch: Varnay, Uhde, Windgassen, Weber (Bayreuth Festival, 1955) (Orfeo, mono) (2:33:52)

Keilberth: Varnay, Uhde, Lustig, Weber (Bayreuth Festival, 1955) (Testament, stereo) (2:20:54)

During the 1950's major conducting responsibilities at the Wagner Festival in Bayreuth were shared by Hans Knappertsbusch and Joseph Keilberth. Usually each conducted one of the two Ring cycles, which was a challenge for the musicians due to their very different approaches to the score. Knappertsbusch was noted for his broad tempos and magisterial style while Keilberth took a brisker, more Amodern approach to the music. Each usually conducted the entire run of one of the other productions each season, with Knappertsbusch especially noted for his powerful performances of Parsifal. In 1955, however, unusual circumstances resulted led the two conductors to share in the performances of a new production of Der fliegende Hollander, with Keilberth handling most of the rehearsals and conducting the three August performances while Knappertsbusch led the final dress rehearsal and conducted the three July performances. The opening night performance under Knappertsbusch was broadcast by the Bavarian Radio and released many years later on CD by Orfeo, while the three Keilberth performances were recorded by Decca and edited for release in mono on vinyl the following year. As an experiment Decca also recorded these performances in the new technique of stereo but that version was not released (also on vinyl) until 1970. In 2006 this stereo version was released on CD on the Testament label. Orfeo’s release in 2009 of the performance conducted by Knappertsbusch created the unusual situation of making available authorized recordings of two performances from the same season with largely the same casts but different conductors.

Although the sound quality of Decca’s stereo recording under Keilberth is greatly superior to that of Orfeo’s broadcast tape, both versions provide clear documentation of the the conductors’ different approaches to the music. Knappertsbusch’s performances runs 2:33:52, some 10% longer than Keilberth’s 2:20:54. The difference is even more striking than the numbers imply since in many passages both conductors take similar tempos and Knappertsbusch’s broader tempos only are found in individual scenes. In the some of these moments, such as parts of the Senta-Dutchman duet in Act Two and in the final ensemble his broad tempos force the singers to break phrases which they sing in one breath under Keilberth. Both Astrid Varnay (Senta) and Hermann Uhde (Dutchman) display some vocal fatigue in the Knappertsbusch version, although the pressures of opening night and the aftermath of intensive rehearsals may be significant factors here. The Keilberth recording is a composite of three performances and therefore can be selective in what it includes.

I have long been a fan of Knappertsbusch’s Wagner performances, including his unique Parsifal and his Ring, both in the theatre and on recordings. However in this early work, which is stylistically a mixture of old and new, I find Keilberth’s aggressive approach more effective, which combined with Testament’s superior sound, leads me to prefer his performance over that of Knappertsbusch.

Vocally both performances are outstanding. With her beautiful, focused sound, Varnay is an ideal Senta and Uhde’s intense baritone is compelling as the Dutchman, if not as overwhelming as the reigning Dutchman of the day, Hans Hotter. (Hotter sang the role in one of the Knappertsbusch performances which was not recorded.) Ludwig Weber provides a sly warmth of character as Daland along with his rich bass, and Joseph Traxel is a fresh-voiced if rather monochrome Steersman. In the Knappertsbusch performance Wolfgang Windgassen is an ardent and vocally attractive Erik, while his alternate in the Keilberth performances, Rudolf

Lustig, is competent but overly lachrymose in the role. These were great days at the Festival. Steinberg: Muff, Haubold, Seiffert, Daland (ORF Symphony Orchestra, Vienna, 1992) (Naxos) (2:17:56)

During the days when studio recordings of operas were common, the bargain-priced label Naxos made a number of fine sets using very good but not Abig name singers. The best of them were very well conducted and recorded and were not only well worth the bargain price but also competitive with more prestigious versions. With the availability of many Aname versions at bargain price today, the economic advantage is less of a factor, but they still have much to offer. This enjoyable version of The Flying Dutchman certainly falls into that category. The only prominent name in the cast is tenor Peter Seiffert as Erik, here at the beginning of his career which was soon to move into the heavier Wagner repertory. He sings the role with fresh, lyrical sound and a straightforward approach. Albert Muff (Dutchman) and Ingrid Haubold (Senta) were both prominent at major houses in Europe but did not record extensively, and they both offer strong interpretations of these demanding roles. The recorded sound and balance are excellent and conductor Pinchas Steinberg shapes the music excitingly and with authority. This is not the most luxuriously sung performance available but it is a thoroughly enjoyable listen. Sinopoli: Weikl, Studer, Domingo, Sotin (Deutsche Oper, Berlin, 1991) (DG) (2:15:28)

There is much to enjoy in this studio recording. The recorded sound is warm and vivid with an excellent balance between the voices and the orchestra. The voices have enough presence for the words to be clearly intelligible do not sound unnaturally forward of the orchestra; even in the major climaxes both orchestra and voices ring out clearly and distinctly. As usual in his recordings Giuseppe Sinopoli brings plenty of energy to the music with a wide dynamic range and extreme changes in tempo, which works very well with this score. Vocally the soloists are well up to the demands of the music and the small role of the Steersman is given luxury casting with Peter Seiffert early in his career.

My main reservation about the performance is that it lacks a sense of drama and never escapes the limitations of a studio recording. Bernd Weikl sings the Dutchman’s music very tastefully and with fine tone, but never really catches the desperate anguish of the character, while Hans Sotin as Daland sings mellifluously but is also rather bland. Peter Seiffert sings the Steersman with beautiful tone but his solo lacks any sense of growing sleepy, he simply studiously observes the dynamics. Only Cheryl Studer and Placido Domingo bring some life to their characters as Senta and Erik, and Domingo makes the usually whiny Erik so vivid and passionate that it seems improbable that Senta would turn him down for the rather colorless stranger. Despite the fine overall recorded sound, there is no attempt to make use of the possibilities of stereo to clarify the action or relationships. The singers are anchored to their microphones center stage and the chorus is arrayed behind them in concert position. Even in their simultaneous internal monologues in Act 2, Senta and the Dutchman are audibly standing right next to one another singing into microphones.

Despite my reservations, there is fine music-making here, though it could have been much more than that. Recommended as a concert version of the opera. Nelsson: Estes, Balslev, Schunk, Salminen (Bayreuth Festival, 1985) (Philips) (2:13:59)

This audio recording presumably dates from the same sessions in June, 1985, which produced the DVD version issued by Deutsche Grammophon. The production originated in

1978 and remained in the repertory until 1985, when it was recorded prior to the opening of the Festival. As the audio recording includes stage noises it must derive from the video sessions, and the sound in both versions suffers from the empty auditorium, with the voices taking on a somewhat disembodied quality and excessive brightness. In the DVD version the powerful visual element offsets the audio limitations, but in the CD version it detracts somewhat from what is otherwise a strong performance. Without his impressive visual presence the rather monochromatic singing of Simon Estes as the Dutchman is more noticeable, but the remaining cast and the strong conducting of Woldemar Nelsson still have considerable impact. Lisbeth Balslev is an expressive, firm-voiced Senta with secure and powerful high notes, while Matti Salminen’s powerful bass is used with finesse as Daland. Robert Schunk is a lyrical Erik with sufficient power for the climaxes and creates a much more sympathetic Erik than is usual. Personally I find Harry Kupfer’s staging exceptionally imaginative and compelling and would recommend the DVD version, but for those who resist a non-traditional approach, the CD offers a fine interpretation, despite the sonic limitations.

3. WAGNER’S ORIGINAL 1842 (PARIS) VERSION Minkowski: Brimberg, Nikitin, Cutler, Kares (Les Musiciens du Louvre Grenoble, 2013) (Naïve) (2:09:49)

This recording, to, presents the score as Wagner originally wrote it in France after his attempt to interest the Paris Opéra in the subject had failed. (The Paris director liked the story and persuaded him to sell it to them for assignment to another composer, whose French opera is also included in this album.) Presumably the version recorded here with an orchestra using period-style instruments is essentially the score which was premiered in Dresden in 1842 but without the last minute shift of locale from Scotland to Norway Wagner made at the last minute.

The most immediately noticeable difference from the opera as it is played today (aside from the orchestral sound) is in the character names: Erik is here Georg and Daland is Donald, and the place name for the first scene is Holystrand rather than Sandwike. (Confusingly the plot summary in the booklet still says it is in Norway.) As the character names appear only in the cast list but are never mentioned in the libretto, that change is almost invisible in a performance of the music. Musical differences are not major but, of course, the Atransfiguration music Wagner added much later to the ends of the overture and the last act are not present. The orchestral sound is often more violent and aggressive, even aside from the differing tone color of the period winds and brass; Wagner later toned tone down the orchestration.

The performance is excellent, though at times a bit lacking in theatrical intensity, especially in the earlier scenes. Minkowski’s reading of the score is aggressive and often brisk, and the voices and orchestra are vividly caught in bright sound. Evgeny Nikitin sings the role of the Dutchman well if a bit blandly, but Ingela Brimberg is an intensely involved Senta with only a very few climaxes that are slightly strained. Of the strong supporting cast, tenor Eric Cutler stands out as a warm-voiced and eloquent Georg/Erik. The excellent accompanying notes and the inclusion of the French opera by Pierre-Louis Dietsch based on Wagner’s sketch make for a release of unusual interest, and the performance is well-worth hearing in its own right. Weil: Stensvold, Weber, Dürmüller, Selig (Capella Coloniensis, 2004) (deutsche harmonia mundi) (Original 1842 Paris version played on period instruments) (2:05:43)

This recording is also based on the manuscript of the score as it was completed in Paris in 1842 without any of Wagner’s subsequent revisions, and it is played on instruments reproducing the orchestral forces of the time of composition. Senta’s ballad is sung in the original key, rather than a full tone lower, a change which Wagner allowed because his original Senta could not manage the higher key, and the revised endings to the overture and to Act 3, are not used. The softer volume produced by the period instruments also has allowed for the performance to cast somewhat lighter voices in some roles. Conductor Bruno Weil also takes quick tempos throughout the performance, which clocks in a full half-hour shorter than rival recordings by such conductors as Otto Klemperer and James Levine. Only Marc Minkowski (1841 version, period instruments) and Ferenc Fricsay (standard version, modern instruments) match this timing.

The shorter timing and the absence of intermissions explains how Wagner could originally think of the opera as a work that could be staged as a curtain-raiser to a ballet; modern performances with intermissions can run three hours or more. The sound of the orchestra, especially the winds and brass--is brighter, more transparent and more aggressive than we are accustomed, partly because of the different sound of the instruments and also because Wagner

later toned down the original orchestration. Daniel Barenboim’s modern recording which casts Senta with a true Wagnerian soprano (Jane Eaglen) asks too much of her, whereas in the period performances and the 1961 Bayreuth production (our-of-print) which cast lighter, higher voices in the role, the ballad gains an extra measure of excitement.

The brighter orchestral sound, the lighter voices and the quick tempos in Bruno Weil’s performance also reveal the opera more clearly as belonging to the age of Weber and Marschner and even the Italian bel canto era. The ornamental vocal passages seem more effective when sung without a struggle and such flowing melodies as the scenes with Daland no longer seem to belong in a different world than the rest of the score..

Although Weil’s performance derives from live concert performances and makes no use of the theatrical possibilities of stereo, it generates considerable excitement and dramatic force. Astrid Weber as Senta and Jörg Dürmüller as Erik bring both vocal beauty and dramatic involvement to their roles and Franz-Josef Selig is a delightfully materialistic Daland. Terja Stensvold as The Dutchman sings with considerable beauty of tone and fine legato, though he is somewhat inexpressive with the text and his German is inconsistent at times. The fine orchestra and chorus have been given bright, transparent recorded sound and are balanced well with the soloists.

4. HISTORICAL RECORDINGS THE EARLIEST COMPLETE RECORDING Kraus: Berglund, Müller, Völker, Hofmann (Bayreuth, 1942) (Preiser, mono) (2:25:47)

This recording is derived from a wartime broadcast of the performance of July 18, 1942 from the Bayreuth Festival. (Even as late as 1944 there were still a few performances at the Festival.) By 1942 German broadcasting companies were making use of magnetic tape recording equipment, which made it possible to capture uninterrupted performances of lengthy works, and a number of these wartime Bayreuth performances have been preserved in this way. The sound quality of these early tapes is remarkably good at times, though louder vocal passages often suffer from distortion. This Preiser CD issue seems to be derived from multiple sources, some of them tape, while surface noise in some sections suggests that parts were taken from acetate discs. Some sections also display audible artifacts of an AM radio broadcast, a high tone and occasional sputters. Finally, although the sound of the orchestra in the overture has vivid presence, as soon as the curtain goes up it recedes to the background behind the closely miked voices. Despite the documentary value of this earliest complete recording of the opera and the quality of most of the singing, the variable quality of the sound is a major disadvantage.

Swedish baritone Joel Berglund sings strongly as the Dutchman but is a rather stolid interpreter, while bass Ludwig Hofmann’s rather gruff style is not out of place for Daland. The main vocal interest, however, is in the Senta of Maria Müller, whose warm voice and dramatic intensity are very compelling and in the Erik of tenor Franz Völker, who brings real vocal beauty and some eloquence to this often ungrateful part. Richard Kraus conducts an energetic performance which has some dramatic power but is lacking in eloquence. HANS HOTTER AS THE DUTCHMAN The German bass-baritone Hans Hotter was a dominant figure in productions of Wagner’s operas during the middle part of the 20th Century, and The Dutchman was one of his major roles. As with his much better documented Wotan, Hotter was the ideal embodiment of Wagner’s heroic bass-baritone roles. His towering physical presence, authority and his powerful, warm sound were combined with a penetrating artistic intelligence and dramatic intensity that few could equal. His Dutchman has been preserved only in broadcast recordings with limited sound quality and variable supporting casts, but his importance as an interpreter makes it worth devoting a separate section to these versions. Reiner: Varnay, Hotter, Svanholm, S. Nilsson (MET broadcast, 1950) (Sony, mono) (Available only in the 9 opera set AWagner at the Met) (2:13:11)

One of Rudolf Bing’s initiatives when he became General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera was to recruit major conductors for the house. Among them Fritz Reiner had an especially strong impact during the five years he spent there and this 1950 matinee performance of Der fliegende Holländer is a fine example of his work there. From beginning to end the music is eloquent and exciting and the singers respond with committed and intense performances. This seems to be the only live document of Hans Hotter’s Dutchman and it is memorable. Along with his commanding vocal presence there is a spontaneous sense of interaction with the other singers that leaps off the discs, even in the limited (but well restored)

mono sound of the Met’s archival transcription. As in Bayreuth a few years later, Astrid Varnay offers a superbly sung and dramatically powerful Senta, and tenor Set Svanholm brings power and dignity to the tricky role of Erik. It takes a few minutes for the ear to adjust to the limited range and dead acoustic of the recorded sound, but the performance soon takes over and casts its spell. All of the recorded documents of Hotter’s Dutchman confirm his stature in the role, but this live performance is the most eloquent and spontaneous of all. (It is only available as part of a large box set of nine of Wagner’s operas at the Met but the set is a remarkable bargain, available for about $50 at Amazon.com.) Krauss: Ursuleac, Hotter, Ostertag, Hann (Bavarian Opera, 1944) (Preiser, mono) (2:23:03)

Despite poor sound this radio recording is of historical interest as the earliest document of Hans Hotter’s Dutchman, and the direction of a major conductor, Clemens Krauss. Even without the visual component some hint of Hotter’s strengths comes through here. Krauss is particularly remembered for his association with Richard Strauss, several of whose operas he premiered, but he also was noted for his Wagner, and for his Johann Strauss! Another major artist represented here is bass Georg Hann (Daland), whose powerful, dark voice is always unmistakable. As Senta, soprano Viorica Ursuleac (the conductor’s wife) is an expressive interpreter but, at least as recorded here, her distinctive voice is sadly worn and often unsteady. Unfortunately the sound of the tapes from which this Preiserrecords release was taken, is bathed in distortion on everything even moderately loud, making the listening experience something of an endurance test. (This reissue is dated 1995. Perhaps the tapes had deteriorated by that time, I have not heard earlier vinyl releases.) Schüchter: Werth, Hotter, Aldenhoff, Böhme (Nordwestdeutscher Rundfunk, 1951) (Preiser Paperback Opera, mono) (2:05:58)

The sound in this studio recording made for broadcast is much more listenable than Hotter’s 1944 Munich recording. Climaxes are fairly clear and background noise (tape hiss or surface noise?) is steady and unobtrusive. Musically it is characterized by rather driven tempos taken by conductor Wilhelm Schüchter and seems really rushed at times, though it is does have some exciting moments, along with some shaky moments in the orchestra. Helene Werth is a younger sounding and more attractive Senta than Viorica Ursuleac in Munich and Kurt Böhme actually makes Daland a rather sympathetic character with genuine charm. As Erik, Bernd Aldenhoff’s Heldentenor struggles with the ornamental passages but has the power to be heard in the last act ensembles. Hotter is again a uniquely eloquent and commanding Dutchman and only an occasional moment of labored breathing is a reminder of the asthma-induced vocal difficulties he had experienced in the late 1940's.

5. NOT RECOMMENDED Fricsay: Kupper, Metternich, Windgassen, Greindl (RIAS, Berlin, 1953) (DG, mono) (2:05:11)

Conductor Ferenc Fricsay takes a brisk view of the score in this 1953 studio recording, and the performance generates quite a bit of excitement. With one exception the singers are excellent. Annelies Kupper is an expressive and dramatically involved Senta, creating a vivid character and singing with warm tone, although a few climaxes take her essentially lyric voice to its limits. Bass Josef Greindl is a warm-voiced and authoritative Daland and tenor Wolfgang Windgassen is a strong and quite appealing Erik, and sings the challenging vocal line with remarkable flexibility. The orchestral sound is a bit raw in the overture and the preludes and is somewhat recessed when the singers are heard, but the voices come through with plenty of presence. Unfortunately baritone Josef Metternich is a disappointing Dutchman. His voice is impressive but it is impersonal and seems disconnected from the character. He often sacrifices diction to legato, which apparently is his idea of applying bel canto technique to Wagner’s music. Not recommended. Klemperer: Adam, Silja, Kozub, Talvela (BBC Chorus, New Philharmonia, 1968) (EMI, 2:31:50)

In his younger days conductor Otto Klemperer conducted extensively in the opera house and was known as something of a firebrand. However his public performances in his later years were devoted mainly to concert appearances and his recordings of opera were limited to the recording studio. Perhaps for this reason these late recordings seem to me to be rather a hothouse product, slow, measured, and with little dramatic force. In the case of Dutchman his recording runs more than two and a half hours and seems heavy-handed. His Dutchman, Theo Adam, usually a vivid performer, seems very subdued and focused more on sustaining the vocal lines rather than dramatic expression. His Senta, soprano, Anja Silja, created a sensation eight years earlier when she sang the role in Bayreuth at the age of 20. Her voice is not especially beautiful but it is an unusual combination of a high soprano with considerable power. In the recording of her 1961 Bayreuth performance (no longer available) she combines the vocal sound of a Queen of the Night with remarkable power, though by the time of recording the role with Klemperer the voice had darkened somewhat. Throughout her career she was justly noted for her intensely dramatic interpretations and something of that power comes through here, even at Klemperer’s ponderous tempos. Martti Talvela, usually a vivid dramatic presence, seems strangely subdued here as Daland. The remaining soloists are competent. EMI’s sound is often edgy and distorts at the climaxes in my 1994 CD edition but later remasterings may sound better. Not recommended. Dorati: Rysanek, London, Liebl, Tozzi (Royal Opera, Covent Garden, 1961) (Decca, 2:24:58)

The cast list on this 1961 studio recording is so promising that it is especially disappointing that the performance has been sabotaged by the recording engineers. George London and Leonie Rysanek were noted for their performances as the Dutchman and Senta and the supporting cast is well qualified. Antal Dorati was rarely conducting opera at this point in his career and it shows, there is a lack of the sense of an overall arc to the performance but it does

have some exciting moments. However the recording dates from the beginning of attempts at creating a sense of staging in a studio recording and cannot match the success of such efforts as John Culshaw’s Ring operas. (The original recording was made by Decca for release by RCA Victor. The producer was from RCA but it isn’t clear if Culshaw’s crack engineering team was involved.) According to the notes from the producer, the stereo Astaging was modeled a recent staging at the Metropolitan Opera which had featured the same leads. This idea seems to have been taken literally and the orchestra has been placed in the foreground (theatre pit position?) while the singers are well in the background and shrouded in a haze of resonance. As a result the voices have little impact and words are lost in the mush. London and Rysanek seem to be in good voice but they also seem to be a long way from the listener. Not recommended. Von Karajan: Van Dam, Vejzovic, Hofmann, Moll (Berlin Philharmonic, 1981-83) (EMI) (2:26:12)

To me this is one of the most embarrassingly inept opera recordings by major artists that I have ever heard. With recording sessions scattered over nearly three years there seems to have been a lot of effort put into it, but the result is extremely disappointing. On paper the singers appear to be highly qualified, but under Herbert von Karajan’s misguided concept of recording an opera their talents are negated. José van Dam (the Dutchman) had one of the most beautiful voices around but here he seems to have been required to concentrate entirely seamless legato with no attention to the sense of the words or the dramatic situation. The same restriction applies to all of the soloists and only Kurt Moll as Daland and Peter Hoffmann as Erik, whose name is missing from the cast list on the back of the case, manage to make the text generally intelligible. As was typical of von Karajan’s opera recordings at this time, the dynamic range is so immense that a normal volume setting makes the many almost whispered soft passages inaudible, while a higher setting for these sections produces ear-splitting volume from the orchestra (especially the brass) and chorus which completely drowns out the soloists. Von Karajan’s overall timing is not the slowest on record, but his extremes range from madly gabbled choral sections to dialogue scenes which are so slow that there is no sense of continuity in the action. The conductor seems to be trying to force the sections of flowing melody (which reflect the influence of the forms of French and Italian opera) into sounding like late Wagner. All of this effort is enveloped in a cloud of resonance which turns the music into auditory mush. Not recommended!