Richard Wagner Opera DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER

DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER is a three-act Romantic opera by Richard Wagner, inspired by the legendary tale of the “ghost captain” as told by German Romantic poet Heinrich Heine. Cursed for his arrogance and condemned to wander the seas for eternity, the Dutchman can only be redeemed through the unwavering love of a faithful woman. In this work, Wagner introduced for the first time his concept of durchkomponiert (through-composed structure), using continuously evolving orchestral music to unify the opera and replace the traditional division into separate arias and ensembles. Music becomes the core of the narrative, driving the drama forward. The opera centres on the interwoven motifs of “curse” and “redemption,” recurring throughout the score and ultimately culminating in a transcendent resolution through love and sacrifice. It showcases Wagner’s early exploration and breakthrough in the concept of music drama.