Der fliegende Holländer: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 13:45, 10 June 2007

Latest revision as of 16:01, 12 January 2025

(334 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|Opera by Richard Wagner}}

{{Wagner operas}}'''Der fliegende Holländer''' (''The Flying Dutchman'') is an [[opera]], with [[music]] and [[libretto]] by [[Richard Wagner]]. The story comes from the [[The Flying Dutchman|legend of the Flying Dutchman]], about a ship captain condemned to sail until [[Last Judgement|Judgement Day]]. Wagner claimed in his [[autobiography]] ''"Mein Leben"'' that he had been inspired following a stormy sea crossing he made from [[Riga]] to [[London]] in July and August 1839, but a more likely source is [[Heinrich Heine]]'s retelling of the [[legend]] in his [[1834]] satirical novel ''"The Memoirs of Mister von Schnabelewopski"'' (''Aus den Memoiren des Herrn von Schnabelewopski'').<ref>Millington, Barry (Ed.) (1992), The Wagner Compendium: A Guide to Wagner's Life and Music. Thames and Hudson Ltd., London. ISBN 0-02-871359-1 page 277.</ref>

{{Infobox opera

| name = Der fliegende Holländer<br />The Flying Dutchman

| genre = [[List of works for the stage by Richard Wagner|Opera]]

| composer = [[Richard Wagner]]

| image = Der fliegende Holländer.jpg

| image_upright =

| alt =

| caption = First page of the autograph of the overture

| librettist = Richard Wagner

| language = German

| based_on = {{based on|Retelling of [[Flying Dutchman|Der fliegende Holländer]]|[[Heinrich Heine]]}}

| premiere_date = {{Start date|1843|01|02|df=y}}

| premiere_location = [[Königliches Hoftheater Dresden]]

}}

'''''{{Lang|de|Der fliegende Holländer}}''''' ('''''The Flying Dutchman'''''), [[Wagner-Werk-Verzeichnis|WWV]] 63, is a German-language [[opera]], with [[libretto]] and [[music]] by [[Richard Wagner]]. The central theme is redemption through love. Wagner [[Conducting|conducted]] the [[premiere]] at the [[Königliches Hoftheater Dresden]] in 1843.

Wagner claimed in his 1870 autobiography ''[[Mein Leben (Wagner)|Mein Leben]]'' that he had been inspired to write the opera following a stormy sea crossing he made from [[Riga]] to London in July and August 1839. In his 1843 ''[[Autobiographic Sketch (Wagner)|Autobiographic Sketch]]'', Wagner acknowledged he had taken the story from [[Heinrich Heine]]'s retelling of the [[Flying Dutchman|legend]] in his 1833 satirical novel ''The Memoirs of Mister von Schnabelewopski'' (''Aus den Memoiren des Herrn von Schnabelewopski'').{{sfn|Millington|1992|p=277}}

The central theme is [[redemption]] through [[love]], which Wagner returns to in most of his subsequent operas.

Wagner conducted the [[premiere]] at the [[Semperoper|Semper Oper]] in [[Dresden]], [[1843]]. This work marksshows theearly firstattempts majorat shiftoperatic instyles Wagner'sthat oeuvrewould awaycharacterise fromhis conventional opera and towardslater [[music drama]]s. ThatIn is,''Der ratherfliegende thanHolländer'' relyingWagner onuses a seriesnumber of individual [[songs]] with clear boundaries, he created an uninterrupted [[melody]] filled with [[leitmotif]]s (literally, "leading motifs") associated with the characters and themes. The leitmotifs are all introduced in the [[overture]], which begins with a well-known ocean or storm motif before moving into the Dutchman and Senta motifs.

Wagner originally wrote '''Derthe fliegende Holländer'''work to be performed without [[intermission]] &mdashndash; an example of his efforts to break with tradition &mdashndash; and, while today's [[opera]] houses sometimes still follow this directive, it is also performed in a three -act version.

The autograph manuscript of the opera is preserved in the [[Richard Wagner Foundation]].

==The title==

The opera is referred to in English by its original title or in translation. ''Flying'' here means "rushing", not "travelling by air".

==Composition history==

ByAt the beginning of [[1839]], the 26-year-old [[Richard Wagner]] was employed as a [[conductor]] at the [[Deutsches Theater, Riga|Court Theatre in [[Riga]]. His extravagant lifestyle andplus the retirement from the stage of his actress wife, [[Minna Planer]], meantcaused thathim heto ranrun up huge debts that he was unable to repay. Wagner was writing ''[[Rienzi]]'' and hatched a plan to flee his creditors in Riga, escape to [[Paris]] via London and make his fortune by putting ''[[Rienzi]]'' on to the stage of the [[Théâtre de l'AcadémieParis Royale de MusiqueOpera|Paris Opéra]]. However, this plan quickly turned to disaster: his [[passport]] having been siezedseized by the authorities on behalf of his creditors, he and Minna had to make a dangerous and illegal crossing over the [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] border, during which Minna suffered a [[miscarriage]].<ref>Gutman, Robert W. 1990, ''Wagner -&nbsp;– The Man, His Mind and His Music'', 1990, Harvest Books. {{ISBN |978-01567761580-15-677615-8}} pagep. 64.</ref> Boarding the ship ''Thetis'', whose captain had agreed to take them without passports, their sea journey was hindered by storms and high seas. The ship at one point took refuge in the [[Norway|Norwegian]] [[fjord]]s at [[SandvikaTvedestrand]], and a trip that was expected to take 8eight days finally delivered Wagner to London 3three weeks after leaving Riga.

Wagner's experience of Paris was also disastrous. He was unable to get work as a [[Conducting|conductor]], and the ''Opéra'' did not want to produce ''Rienzi''. The Wagners were reduced to [[penury]]poverty, relying on handouts from friends and from the little income that Wagner could make writing articles on music and copying scores. Wagner hit on the idea of a one-act opera on the theme of Thethe ''Flying Dutchman'', which he hoped might be performed before a ballet at the ''Opéra''.

<blockquote>''"The voyage through the Norwegian reefs made a wonderful impression on my imagination; the legend of the Flying Dutchman, which the sailors verified, took on a distinctive, strange colouring that only my sea adventures could have given it."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://users.belgacom.net/wagnerlibrary/prose/wagauto.htm|last=Wagner|first=Richard|date=1843|title=''An Autobiographical Sketch''|website=The Wagner Library|translator=William Ashton Ellis|access-date=2007-06-10|archive-date=2013-05-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511142319/http://users.belgacom.net/wagnerlibrary/prose/wagauto.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref></blockquote>

Wagner wrote the first prose draft of the story in Paris early in May of [[1840]], basing the story on a chapter from [[Heinrich Heine]]'s satire "The Memoirs of Mister von Schnabelewopski" ("Aus den Memoiren des Herrn von Schnabelewopski") published in [[''Der Salon'' in 1834]]. In thisHeine's noveltale, the heronarrator watches a performance of ana operafictitious stage play on the theme of the seacaptainsea captain cursed to sail forever for [[blasphemy]]. Heine introduces the character as a [[Wandering Jew]] of the ocean, and also added the device taken up so vigorously by Wagner in this, and many subsequent operas: the Dutchman can only be redeemed by the love of a faithful woman. In Heine's version, this is presented as a means for ironic humour,; however, Wagner took this theme literally and in his draft, the woman is faithful until death.<ref>Vaughan, William (1982) in "''SentaDer fliegende Holländer''", is''English faithfulNational untilOpera deathGuide'', Calder Publications; new edition (June 1982), pp. 27–32 {{ISBN|0-7145-3920-1}}.</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Albright|first=Daniel|date=2005|title=The Diabolical Senta |journal=[[The Opera Quarterly]]|volume=21|number=3|pages=465–485 |publisher=Oxford University Press|doi=10.1093/oq/kbi060}}</ref>

By the end of May 1840 Wagner had completed the [[libretto]] or ''poem'' as he preferred to call it. Composition of the music began during May - July 1840, and by November the score was complete.

By the end of May 1841 Wagner had completed the libretto or ''poem'' as he preferred to call it. Composition of the music had begun during May to July of the previous year, 1840, when Wagner wrote Senta's Ballad, the Norwegian Sailors' song in act 3 ("{{Lang|de|Steuermann, lass die Wacht!}}") and the subsequent Phantom song of the Dutchman's crew in the same scene.{{sfn|Millington|1992|p=278}} These were composed for an audition at the Paris ''Opéra'', along with the sketch of the plot. Wagner actually sold the sketch to the Director of the ''Opéra'', [[Léon Pillet]], for 500 [[French franc|francs]], but was unable to convince him that the music was worth anything.<ref>Gregor-Dellin, Martin (1983) ''Richard Wagner: His Life, His Work, His Century'', p. 106. William Collins, {{ISBN|0-00-216669-0}}</ref>{{efn|1=In 1842, the theater presented an opera ''{{Lang|fr|Le vaisseau fantôme}}'' (''The Phantom Ship'') composed by [[Pierre-Louis Dietsch]], which Wagner claimed had been developed from the scenario he had sold to the ''Opéra''. The similarity of Dietsch's opera to Wagner's—according to ''[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]'' article on Dietsch by Jeffrey Cooper and Barry Millington—is slight, although Wagner's assertion is often repeated.}} Wagner composed the rest of the ''Der fliegende Holländer'' during the summer of 1841, with the [[Overture]] being written last, and by November 1841 the orchestration of the score was complete. While this score was designed to be played continuously in a single act, Wagner later divided the piece into a three-act work. In doing so, however, he did not alter the music significantly, but merely interrupted transitions that had originally been crafted to flow seamlessly (the original one-act layout is restored in some performances).

== Roles ==

{| class="wikitable" border="1"

!bgcolor=ececec|

!bgcolor=ececec|

!bgcolor=ececec|Premiere, January 2nd, 1843<br>(Wagner conducting)

In his original draft Wagner set the action in Scotland, but he changed the ___location to Norway shortly before the [[premiere|first production]] staged in Dresden and conducted by himself in January 1843.<ref>T. S. Grey, ''Richard Wagner, Der fliegende Holländer'', Cambridge University Press 2000, pp. 2, 170</ref>

In his essay "[[A Communication to My Friends]]" in 1851, Wagner claimed that ''The Dutchman'' represented a new start for him: "From here begins my career as poet, and my farewell to the mere concoctor of opera-texts." Indeed, to this day the opera is the earliest of Wagner's works to be performed at the [[Bayreuth Festival]], and, at least for that theatre, marks the start of the mature Wagner canon.

==Roles==

{| class="wikitable"

|+{{sronly|Roles, voice types, premier cast}}

!Role

![[Voice type]]

!Premiere cast, 2 January 1843<br />Conductor: [[Richard Wagner]]

|-

|The Dutchman

|[[bass-baritone]]

|[[Johann Michael Wächter]]

|-

|Senta, ''Daland's daughter''

|[[high dramatic soprano]]

|[[Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient]]

|-

|Daland, ''a Norwegian sailorsea captain''

|[[bass (vocalvoice rangetype)|bass]]

|[[Friedrich Traugott Reinhold]]

|-

|Erik, ''a huntsman''

|[[tenor]]

|[[Carl Risse]]

|-

|Mary, ''Senta's nurse''

|[[contralto]]

|[[Thérèse Wächter]]

|-

|Daland's Steersmansteersman

|tenor

|[[Wenzel Bielezizky]]

|-

| colspan="3" |''Norwegian sailors, the Dutchman's crew, young women''

|-

|}

==PlotInstrumentation==

''Der fliegende Holländer'' is scored for the following instruments:

*[[piccolo]], 2 [[Western concert flute|flute]]s, 2 [[oboe]]s (one doubling [[cor anglais]]), 2 [[clarinet]]s, 2 [[bassoon]]s

Place: on the coast of [[Norway]].

*4 [[French horn|horn]]s, 2 [[trumpet]]s, 3 [[trombone]]s, [[Tuba|bass tuba]]

*[[timpani]]

*[[harp]]

*1st and 2nd [[violin]]s, [[viola]]s, [[Cello|violoncellos]], and [[double bass]]es

''on-stage''

===Act I===

*3 [[piccolo]]s, 6 [[French horn|horn]]s, [[gong|tam tam]], [[wind machine]]

On his homeward journey, the [[Captain (nautical)|sea-captain]] Daland is compelled by stormy weather to seek a port of refuge. He leaves the [[helmsman]] on watch and he and the sailors retire. (Song of the helmsman: "With tempest and storm on distant seas.") The helmsman falls asleep. A ghostly vessel appearing astern is dashed against Daland's vessel by the sea and the grappling irons hold the two ships together. Invisible hands furl the sails. A man of pale aspect, dressed in black, his face framed by a thick black beard, steps ashore. He laments his fate. ([[Aria]]: "The time has come and seven years have again elapsed")

==Synopsis==

Having broken his [[troth]], he is cursed to roam the sea forever without rest. An angel brought to him the terms of his redemption: at the end of every seven years the angry waves cast him upon the shore; if he can find a wife who will be true to him he will be released. Daland meets him. The ghost offers him treasure, and when he hears that Daland has an unmarried daughter, he asks for her as his wife. Tempted by gold Daland consents, and favoured by the south wind joyfully acclaimed by Daland's men (repetition of the song of the helmsman and chorus), both vessels set sail.

:Place: On the coast of [[Norway]]

===Act II1===

[[File:Una riva circondata da rocce, bozzetto di Tito Azzolini per L'Olandese Volante (1878) - Archivio Storico Ricordi ICON002164.jpg|thumb|''Shore surrounded by rocks'', set design for act 1 (1878)]]

Girls are singing and spinning in Daland's house. (Spinning chorus: "Spin, spin, fair maiden") Senta dreamily gazes upon the picture of the Flying Dutchman, whom she desires to save. Against the will of her nurse she sings the story of the Dutchman (Ballad with the Leitmotiv), how [[Satan]] heard him swear and took him at his word, she declares she will save him by her fidelity. Erik arrives and hears her; the girls depart, and the huntsman, who loves the maiden, warns her, telling her of his dream, in which Daland returned with a mysterious stranger, who carried her off to sea. She listens with delight, and Erik leaves her in despair. Daland arrives with the stranger; he and Senta stand gazing at each other in silence. Daland is scarcely noticed by his daughter, even when he presents his guest as her [[Betrothal|betrothed]]. In the following [[duet]], which closes the act, Senta swears to be true till death.

On his homeward journey, the [[sea captain]] Daland is compelled by stormy weather to seek a port of refuge near [[Sandvika, Aust-Agder|Sandwike]] in southern [[Norway]]. He leaves the [[helmsman]] on watch and he and the sailors retire. (Song of the helmsman: "{{Lang|de|Mit Gewitter und Sturm aus fernem Meer}}"&nbsp;– "With tempest and storm on distant seas.") The helmsman falls asleep. A ghostly vessel appearing astern is dashed against Daland's vessel by the sea and the grappling irons hold the two ships together. Invisible hands furl the sails. A man of pale aspect, dressed in black, his face framed by a thick black beard, steps ashore. He laments his fate. ([[Aria]]: "{{Lang|de|Die Frist ist um, und abermals verstrichen sind sieben Jahr}}"&nbsp;– "The time has come and seven years have again elapsed") Because he once invoked Satan, the ghost captain is cursed to roam the sea forever without rest. An angel brought to him the terms of his redemption: Every seven years the waves will cast him upon the shore; if he can find a wife who will be true to him he will be released from his curse.

Daland wakes up and meets the stranger. The stranger hears that Daland has an unmarried daughter named Senta, and he asks for her hand in marriage, offering a chest of treasure as a gift. Tempted by gold, Daland agrees to the marriage. The southwind blows and both vessels set sail for Daland's home.

===Act III===

Later in the evening the crew of Daland invite the men on the strange vessel to join in the festivities, but in vain. The girls retire in wonder; ghostly forms appear at work upon the vessel of the Flying Dutchman, and Daland's men retreat in fear. Senta arrives, followed by Erik, who reproves her for her desertion, as she had formerly loved him and vowed constancy. When the stranger, who has been listening, hears these words, he is overwhelmed with despair, as now he is forever lost. He summons his men, tells Senta of the curse, and to the consternation of Daland and his crew declares that he is the "Flying Dutchman." Hardly has he left the shore when Senta plunges into the sea, faithful unto death. This is his salvation. The spectral ship disappears, and Senta and the Dutchman are seen ascending to heaven.

==See=Act also2===

A group of local girls are singing and spinning in Daland's house. (Spinning chorus: "{{Lang|de|Summ und brumm, du gutes Rädchen"}}&nbsp;– "Whir and whirl, good wheel") Senta, Daland's daughter, dreamily gazes upon a gorgeous picture of the legendary Dutchman that hangs from the wall; she desires to save him. Against the will of her nurse, she sings to her friends the story of the Dutchman (Ballad with the Leitmotiv), how [[Satan]] heard him swear and took him at his word. She vows to save him by her fidelity.

* [[The Flying Dutchman discography]]

The huntsman Erik, Senta's former boyfriend, arrives and hears her; the girls depart, and the huntsman, who loves the maiden, warns her, telling her of his dream, in which Daland returned with a mysterious stranger, who carried her off to sea. She listens with delight, and Erik leaves in despair.

Daland arrives with the stranger; he and Senta stand gazing at each other in silence. Daland is scarcely noticed by his daughter, even when he presents his guest as her [[Engagement#Betrothal|betrothed]]. In the following [[duet]], which closes the act, Senta swears to be true till death.

===Act 3===

[[File:Holländer-Dresden-1843.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Last scene]]

Later in the evening, the local girls bring Daland's men food and drink. They invite the crew of the strange vessel to join in the merry-making, but in vain. The girls retire in wonder; ghostly forms appear at work upon the vessel, and Daland's men retreat in fear.

Senta arrives, followed by Erik, who reproves her for deserting him, as she had formerly loved him and vowed constancy. When the stranger, who has been listening, hears these words, he is overwhelmed with despair, as he thinks he is now forever lost. He summons his men, tells Senta of the curse, and to the consternation of Daland and his crew declares that he is "Der fliegende Holländer."

As the Dutchman sets sail, Senta throws herself into the sea, claiming that she will be faithful to him unto death. This is his salvation. The spectral ship disappears, and Senta and the Dutchman are seen ascending to heaven.<ref>The plot is taken from Leo Melitz (1921). ''The Opera Goer's Complete Guide''</ref>

==Recordings==

{{Main|Der fliegende Holländer discography{{!}}''Der fliegende Holländer'' discography}}

==References==

'''Notes'''

The plot is taken from Leo Melitz (1921). ''The Opera Goer's Complete Guide''.

{{notelist}}

'''Footnotes'''

{{reflist|30em}}

'''Sources'''

* {{cite book|editor-last=Millington|editor-first=Barry|year=1992|title=The Wagner Compendium: A Guide to Wagner's Life and Music|publisher=Thames & Hudson|___location=London|isbn=0-02-871359-1}}

*{{cite book |last=Vernon |first=David |year=2021 |title=Disturbing the Universe: Wagner's Musikdrama |publisher=Candle Row Press |___location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1527299245|ref=none}}

===Notes===

{{reflist}}

==External links==

{{Commons category|The Flying Dutchman (opera)}}

* [http://www.richard-wagner-postkarten.de/postkarten/hol.php Richard Wagner - The Flying Dutchman]. A gallery of historic postcards with motives from Richard Wagner's operas.

* [https://digital.wagnermuseum.de/ncrw/content/zoom/69553/ Der fliegende Holländer]: Wagner's autograph manuscript in the Richard Wagner Foundation

* {{IMSLP|work=Der fliegende Holländer, WWV 63 (Wagner, Richard)|cname=''Der fliegende Holländer''}}

* The libretto [http://www.zeno.org/Literatur/M/Wagner,+Richard/Musikdramen/Der+fliegende+Holl%C3%A4nder in German] and [http://www.impresario.ch/libretto/libwagfli_e.htm in English]

* [http://www.naxos.com/education/opera_libretti.asp?pn=&char=ALL&composer=Wagner%20Richard&opera=Der_Fliegende_Hollander&libretto_file=00_Synopsis.htm Synopsis and German libretto] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814090925/https://www.naxos.com/education/opera_libretti.asp?pn=&char=ALL&composer=Wagner%20Richard&opera=Der_Fliegende_Hollander&libretto_file=00_Synopsis.htm |date=2020-08-14 }}, [[Naxos Records]]

* [http://www.richard-wagner-postkarten.de/postkarten/hol.php Richard Wagner – ''Der fliegende Holländer'']. A gallery of historic postcards with motives from Richard Wagner's operas.

* [https://opera-inside.com/der-fliegende-hollander-by-richard-wagner/ ''Der fliegende Holländer''], opera guide, opera-inside.com

* {{librivox book | title= The Flying Dutchman | author=Richard Wagner}}

{{Richard Wagner}}

{{Flying Dutchman}}

{{Heinrich Heine}}

{{Portal bar|Opera}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Flying Dutchman, The}}

[[Category:Operas by Richard Wagner]]

[[Category:RomantischenRomantische Opern]]

[[Category:German-language operas]]

[[Category:1843 operas]]

[[Category:Operas]]

[[Category:Stefan Zweig Collection]]

[[Category:Operas set in Norway]]

[[da:Den flyvende Hollænder (opera)]]

[[Category:Nautical fiction]]

[[de:Der Fliegende Holländer]]

[[Category:Flying Dutchman]]

[[es:El holandés errante (ópera)]]

[[Category:Libretti by Richard Wagner]]

[[fr:Le Vaisseau fantôme (opéra)]]

[[Category:Operas based on works by Heinrich Heine]]

[[it:L'olandese volante (opera)]]

[[Category:Opera world premieres at the Semperoper]]

[[nl:De Vliegende Hollander (Richard Wagner)]]

[[ja:さまよえるオランダ人]]

[[pl:Latający Holender (opera)]]

[[pt:Der fliegende Holländer]]

[[ru:Летучий голландец (опера)]]

[[sl:Večni mornar (Wagner)]]

[[sv:Den flygande holländaren (opera)]]