Editor Reviews:

Description:
Ilkka Bäckman's acclaimed production of Wagner's classic opera takes place outdoors in the huge courtyard of Finland's 500-year-old Olavinlinna Castle - a majestic and impressive setting, which gives the production an atmosphere and realism almost impossible to create in a conventional theatre. Hildegard Behrens, at the height of her career, is the tragic Senta, whose destiny is to redeem the Dutchman from his fate. The German bass-baritone, Franz Grundheber, sings the title role, and Finland's own Matti Salminen is the Norwegian sea captain, Daland. From the Savonlinna Opera Festival.

Amazon.com:
Vocally, it would be hard to find a better Flying Dutchman. Hildegard Behrens, Matti Salminen, and (most important in this 1988 production's title role) Franz Grundheber were among the finest Wagnerian singers of the late 20th century, and all were in top vocal form on this occasion. They have an excellent supporting cast, and a chorus that sings with musical vitality and acts with theatrical vividness under Illka Backman's expert direction. And Leif Segerstam's conducting is superb, keeping the performance unified and propelling it forward with dramatic urgency.

Wagner's drama of a sea captain, cursed to wander the ocean forever until he can be redeemed by the love and self-sacrifice of a good woman, is a relatively early work, still in touch with traditional operatic procedures and accessible to people who are not hard-core Wagnerians. In this production, it comes across with strong impact.

The performance is staged outdoors in the courtyard of a 500-year-old Finnish castle, which contributes to its atmosphere but sometimes makes the lighting less than ideal. Lacking the scenic effects of a staged, indoor production, the video uses rather generic projections quite frequently, including the climactic last scene when the Dutchman's ship goes down. The sound is good but not outstanding by 21st-cenury standards, and (as happens in live recordings) there are a few glitches in the orchestra and lapses in sound-picture synchronization. These are minor considering the disc's positive values, but must be mentioned. In sum, not a perfect Dutchman but, musically and dramatically, a very satisfactory one. --Joe McLellan

Rating : - Turn Off The TV
What is the point of buying a DVD if you can't enjoy what you SEE as well as hear? I liked what I heard well enough, but visually, the production is stupid. The costuming is simply awful! Senta, for example, wears a silk and velvet dress (for spinning?!?) As has been mentioned in other reviews, the constant scenes of a pen and ink drawing of the Dutchman's ship superimposed over waves every time nobody is singing are more than annoying. The scenes of the (Finland's Olavinlinna)castle grounds at other points during the opera obviously have nothing to do with the story. The camera work is especially awful. Extreme close-ups of chorus members are pointless and the close-ups of main cast members are a mistake because of the heavy make-up they wear. Why the director decided to give the Steersman a fancy blanket for his nap is a mystery. Moreover, the Steersman's pawing over the treasure is a new story not invented by Wagner. If you want to film an opera in an outdoor setting, this is an example of how NOT to do it. We see the Dutchman's crew - they wear spandex outfits with nets over their faces - apparently the newest thing in attire for the dead. But, we see them entirely only when the carry the treasure chest for Daland to inspect. The rest of the time, we see only their arms waving through holes in their ship. What a strange thing for ghosts to do! The only thing worse that could happen to Wagner than Finland is Kupfer.