A little background on Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman"

The Flying Dutchman (Der fliegende Hollander)
Romantic Opera (Wagner's designation)

PREMIERE:  

January 2, 1843 at Royal Saxon Court Theater, Dresden

FIRST PERFORMANCES:        

1870 (in Italian), London

1876 (in Italian), Philadelphia

1877 (in Italian), New York City
 

Wagner sent a prose scenario (in French)  based on the legend of The Flying Dutchman and on Heinrich Heine's story (“The Memoirs of Mister Von Schnabelewopski”) to Giacomo Meyerbeer's librettist, Eugene Scribe, with the proposal that he turn it into the libretto of a one act opera which would serve as a curtain raiser to a larger ballet. The commission for said composition would naturally be awarded to Wagner. This, for various reasons, did not pan out.

Wagner sold the original scenario for 500 francs to the Paris Opera who then commissioned two librettists and the composer Pierre-Louis-Phillippe Dietsch to rework the piece. Paris Opera then produced Le Vaisseau Fanthome which set sail and promptly sank after 11 performances. Wagner, ever the dramatist of his own life, stated that he was forced to sell the scenario in order to rent the piano he needed to compose the opera.

In 1841 Wagner finished his first full version of The Flying Dutchman but his initial score was not performed in his lifetime (BLO's production is a rare chance to hear Wagner's original intention. Read this note from David Angus, BLO's Music Director and conductor of DUTCHMAN for a more in-depth look into the music of the 1841 Critical Edition).

A few weeks before the 1843 premiere in Dresden, the opera was still set off the Scottish coast (following Heine’s story), with Daland and Eric named Donald and Georg, respectively. BLO’s production uses the original nomenclature (but no kilts!). Originally written in three acts to be played without interruption, Wagner revised (and had published) the piece into the more conventional form of three distinct acts. He made revisions to the score in 1846, 1852, and again in 1860.

A Note from the Conductor of "The Flying Dutchman"

David Angus at the Wagner Society of NY

We are very privileged to be the first American company to have access to the critical edition of Wagner's very first version of The Flying Dutchman, which he then modified many times throughout his life.  The more often played standard version is based on a score from 1896 which was collated by conductor Felix Weingartner from many sources, and included everything that Wagner (and perhaps others) had ever added or changed—which was often only relevant to particular productions or venues.  The problem for us is that many of these changes were made because Wagner himself wanted to alter perceptions of his own development, and to pretend that he was already writing in a much more mature style than was actually true.  The surprising effect of this is that the resulting piece, in its familiar form, is neither what it originally was— a strong, light and energetic early Romantic score— nor one of Wagner's true Music Dramas, his later weightier and more symphonic works.  By removing all these accretions and performing the work in its original version, we actually get a cleaner and more energetic sound that is much more direct in its impact.

 

This original score set the story in Scotland, and Wagner included very clear references to Scottish music, particularly in the chorus music-- the drones and repeated grace notes that characterize bagpipe music, as well as reference to actual Scottish folksongs.  At the last moment, he moved the location of the opera in order to be able to claim an autobiographical link with his own sea journey during which he sheltered in Norway, but nothing dramatic is gained by that move, and it denies the evidence in the music.  

 

Over the years he also made many changes to the instrumentation, particularly to the brass writing, but his original instruments would have been very much lighter than modern instruments and so there would not have been the balance problems that we find nowadays.  In our performances we are imitating the original sound as far as possible, using natural instruments (without valves) and narrow-bore trombones, for example. 

David Angus at the Wagner Society of NY

It would take a whole book to list all the changes, but I will point out two particular examples.  At the end of the opera, and in the parallel music at the end of the overture, Wagner later added a much slower sentimental ending (with a big harp solo and reference to Senta's redemption motif) which interrupts the high energy race to the end and destroys all the momentum.  This is the only music that the harp plays in the whole opera, and it weakens the dramatic intensity at a critical moment.  We will not be performing this addition, of course!

My other example is Wagner's later addition of many directions of expression and tempo, some of which again rob the music of its momentum.  The most significant of these is at the climax of the development of the overture, where Senta's theme interrupts 4 times in a row.  In the original, there is not a single tempo indication at these points, and the music was clearly intended to continue at exactly the same speed, but a tradition has evolved of slamming the brakes on and performing these few bars at half or even a third of the main tempo, returning to tempo for a few bars, slamming on the brakes again, etc. This destroys the long build-up of excitement, at precisely the moment when it should reach its climax!  Wagner himself later added the marking un poco ritenuto, which surely could hardly suggest under half-tempo?  If you are used to hearing the traditional version, our performance without change of tempo will sound very strange to you, but I am convinced that it is much stronger without this stopping and starting. The only possible defense for the much slower tempo - that the nature of the theme itself necessarily demands the tempo reduction- is proved invalid by the theme's later appearance in the coda at a very quick tempo that no one contests.  If it can be played quickly here, why not earlier?

My approach throughout has been to consider all the traditions that have evolved in the performance of this opera, and to question whether or not they really improve the music.  We haven't thrown everything out, but those who know this piece well will notice many changes, and, I hope, a real heightening of energy and drama throughout. This is a very strong and original early Romantic opera, not a pale shadow of what was to come!

David Angus

BLO Music Director

 

BLO's Biggest Fans

Boston Lyric Opera, like most arts organizations, has a devoted Board, loyal Subscribers, and a sturdy group of volunteers. We couldn’t do what we do without them! We reached out to some of our “biggest fans” to learn why they choose to support BLO and how they came to love opera.

Hugh (Subscriber, Volunteer)

Yuen (PRIMA Member)

Sasha (PRIMA Member, Volunteer)

Jane (Board Member, Subscriber, Volunteer)

HOW DID YOU BECOME INVOLVED WITH BOSTON LYRIC OPERA?

Hugh: A friend of mine used to work in the development office and I started volunteering to help her out and I just continued after that. Working as a volunteer has made me appreciate all the work that goes into the productions. I am now a subscriber as well. 

Yuen: While attending Graduate School [in the mid-90’s] I managed to see one BLO production a year. I then moved away for work and came back to the area in 2008, and have since seen 10 BLO productions. I'm also a fan of the BLO/Landmarks Orchestra concert on the Esplanade-- it serves as my “opera fix" during the summer when BLO is dark!

Sasha: In 2009, the Met was planning a new production of Carmen that I wanted to attend. While researching the Met cast, I noticed that Mercedes was to be played by Boston’s Sandra Piques Eddy, who in turn was [soon] to play Idamante in Mozart’s Idomeneo at BLO. That led me to the BLO website, which revealed that the opening production of their upcoming season was also Carmen! In August of 2009 I signed up to become a BLO volunteer and, as the saying goes, "the rest is history.”

Jane: We attended a few BLO productions in the 1980s and began subscribing in the early 1990s. Upon retiring in 2005 I began working as a volunteer, and last January I joined the [Board of] Overseers. Currently I retain all of those hats!

HOW DID YOU COME TO APPRECIATE OPERA?

Hugh: Growing up, classical music was always part of my life.  I remember as a child helping my family prep for elaborate after-concert parties. I studied piano and flute as a child as well. Now music is such an important part of my life that I often use the #musicislife on twitter. (Follow Hugh the “truth seeker and music lover” on Twitter @hughinboston) 

Yuen: I have always enjoyed classical music, but I caught the “opera bug” when I was 19 during my junior year abroad in London. My father encouraged me to see opera [while I was there], so I went to Covent Garden, sat in the cheap "Upper Slip" seats and I was hooked!

Sasha: I grew up in Russia, in St. Petersburg (or Leningrad as it was then called). None of my parents or grandparents are musicians, but they instilled in me an appreciation and respect for opera, ballet and classical music. I absorbed popular operatic excerpts by watching concerts on TV and taking theory classes in music school, so I grew up with a certain level of respect for the art form. But it wasn’t until I started attending the Met Opera “Live in HD” series in 2007 (prompted by my opera-loving grandfather), that I really started to get interested in the opera plots, characters and singers. In addition to having subtitles, I liked the interviews and behind-the-scenes shots, which helped to de-mystify the art form. (Sasha Tweets about opera and classical concerts in Boston and NYC. She is also a co-organizer of @BostonClassical and @BostonOpera MeetUps. Follow Sasha on Twitter @sasherka)

Jane: When I was in college a friend, who was studying opera, made a highlights tape for me as a thank-you gift for a favor. I knew that he would question me about it and nag me until I listened to it so I did, grumbling all the way to the tape recorder. He had chosen his selections well, however, because they had instant appeal for me. Even more appealing was the story line of each opera-- I had to know more! I have never stopped seeking.

WHAT ADVICE OR ENCOURAGEMENT WOULD YOU GIVE 

TO SOMEONE WHO HAS NEVER ATTENDED AN OPERA?

Hugh: Just try one out!  And keep an open mind. 

Yuen: Don't go to an opera when you’ve had a long day at work, or have to get up at 6am the next day, or have a big project/presentation due.  And don't expect your very first opera to blow you away.  It may take 2 or 3 tries.

Sasha: Go online and do some research. Decide if you want a comedic opera or a tragic one. A fan of Shakespeare? Look up an adaptation. Maybe you heard an operatic-sounding song in a movie? Why not look up the original source? YouTube is a great resource! Once you decide on a performance to attend, do your homework: read about the composer, production notes, maybe even a synopsis (though sometimes it’s better not to be spoiled ahead of time). The more I learn, the more I realize there is a life’s worth of operas to discover. Enjoy the ride!

Jane: Opera is an art form worth getting involved with for a multitude of reasons, one of which is the window into human emotions it inevitably opens. Some people respond to art through their intellect-- [they try to] understand what the artist intended by learning about the historical context of the time of the work's creation. Others just plunge right in and follow where their senses lead them. Figure out what sort of art consumer you are and try that approach to opera. If it doesn't work try another approach. If you are fortunate you will find yourself responding on both these levels and your life will be immeasurably enhanced.

Click here for information on how to become a BLO subscriber.

Click here for information on PRIMA, BLO’s young professionals group.

Click here for information on how to join BLO as a volunteer. 

BLO Exposed (Part 2): Sir Thomas Allen Answers Audience Questions

Boston Lyric Opera is in its second season of presenting BLO Exposed. This intermission conversation series gives audience members a behind-the-scenes look into each production and invites YOU, its audience, to ask questions through social media during our Wednesday night productions at the Shubert Theatre. For BLO’s recent production of Così Fan Tutte, Megan Cooper, Manager of Community Engagement, and Cecelia Allwein, Development Coordinator, interviewed Caroline Worra and Sandra Piques Eddy, who played Fiordiligi and Dorabella, respectively, as well as Sir Thomas Allen, the production’s Don Alfonso and stage director. 

Sandra Piques Eddy, Sir Thomas Allen, and Caroline Worra. Photo: Eric Antoniou.

Sir Thomas, we wanted to start off right away with one of the questions from our audience, “How do you deal with the acting problem of four people who know each other so well suddenly not recognizing each other?”
 

It’s what they call acting. I think Olivier famously said to Dustin Hoffman, who spent about six weeks on the street living to find out what it’s like to be rough, said, “Why don’t you try acting, darling?” And so we do a bit of that up here. Of course… you do get to know one another very well, but you start from scratch. We’re playing a play here; it’s not real life, although it feels like it at times. But it’s pretend and we’re just children basically. I’m a very big child. And that’s what we all do.

In this production you are acting but are also the director. What has that experience been like, wearing both hats?

It’s been very, very interesting. It’s the first time I’ve ever done it and I thought, well this will be a voyage of discovery. But it’s much more difficult than I’d ever imagined because I stage things and then sit on the stage and I have no idea what’s going on behind me. They may be misbehaving really badly but I’m not really sure. … [Y]ou really need a backward-looking mirror, like a car, to check on what’s going on around you. But it’s quite complicated and I have to make a decision during rehearsals either to wear one hat or the other, but ideally not both at the same time.

Once the performances have started do you find yourself tempted to try to tweak the performance at all, or do you put it away?

I’ve just been doing it [indicating backstage]. I can’t stop myself. I see things and basically it’s settled and we’re finding our natural way into it, but there are one or two moments that I see every now and then.

Do you have a favorite scene in the opera?

It’s very short, and it’s coming up shortly in the second act, I suppose. The trio, of course, is wonderful – somehow time stands still when you’re up there and you sing this wonderful trio about gentle breezes. But the moment of, it seems contradictory, this, to put this four singers onstage and say that the favorite moment for you is when they don’t say anything at all. Total silence. You’ll see what I mean. I hope.

Don Alfonso has become a signature role of yours. Could you tell us what you like most about him?

At this stage what I like most about it is that I spend most of the time being silent and watching everybody else work. And it’s always been like that actually, come to think. From the time that anyone sets foot on stage as Alfonso, of course, you never stop working. If you’re on stage and not singing ,you’re pulling strings, invisible ones maybe, but you’re in control of the situation. And that’s a skill that… I’ve learned quietly along the way over a long period of time and it’s a fascinating piece and it continues to fascinate me because it is a work of great, great genius.

BLO would like to thank everyone who participated in this BLO Exposed event and for continuing the conversation with us post-performance here and on our social media pages! To have your questions featured here in the future, join us at the Wednesday night performance of The Flying Dutchman for BLO Exposed.