Flying Dutchman

The concept and splendor of this opera captivated me:

The main characters are as follows

1. The Dutchman: the protagonist, clad in darkness and under a burden of spell.
2. Norwegian sailor Daland
3. Daland's daughter Senta: obsessed with the myth of the Dutchman 
4. Erik: Senta's longtime suitor who is a hunter by profession

Inspired by the original myth, Wagner wrote Flying Dutchman as a wayward ghostly character doomed to futile travels in the hope of redemption.  

These seven-year cycles are the result of an act of defiance by the Dutchman before God. The spell will only be broken once the sailor can find faithful love. That is the hope of the captain "The Dutchman" every seven years when he guides the vessel ashore. The Daland's ship is swayed from their home harbor by an oversight of a young Steerman deceived by romantic fantasies. The deviation leads to a fateful encounter with the ghostly dark vessel with blood-red sails. 

Daland faces the Dutchman who lays out his ordeal and promises all his treasure and possessions in return for getting to know Senta.

The encounter takes place eventually once the ship lands and Senta recognizes the mystic ideal gentleman she had cherishfully envisioned all along, in the Dutchman. 

At the shore, there are scenes of Dalan's ship personnel rejoicing and celebrating with the port residents. However, their party met its end once the ghostly ship crew, reflecting the gloomy and dark status of their captain, infiltrated into the land. 

In a different scene the old desperate suitor, Erik, is reproving Senta and singing of good old times of romantic engagement with Senta. These scenes are secretly monitored by the Dutchman who feels the promise of love has turned to false hope. In a desperate act of hopelessness, the Dutchman leaves to the dark vacuum of his ship, leaving Senta distraught. She climbs to the top of a cliff and jumps to the water as she restates her eternal commitment to Dutchman. As a consequence, the dark vessel dismantles and eventually sinks.

Next, we see the Dutchman and Sneta together clad in white, ascending in joy. The protracted spell is broken and the Dutchman is liberated, finally.

A complex work of art with layers of symbolic features. My initial impression was that Wagner extolls love as the sole means to redemption. Not the vehicle, not the method, not the philosophy but it is the redemption itself. 

The opening act of this opera sets the tone with the irresistible sound of tormenting waves, and a ship trapped in the middle of a turbulent sea. Throughout the opera, leitmotifs are masterfully used and repeated based on the occasion and the leading character in each sequence. The span of various feelings experienced throughout the opera is vast: from horror to melancholy to joy. The Christian undertow is also palpable. Sacrifice driven by truthful love is the ultimate savior and the conqueror of the gloomiest spells earthly life can experience.

Watched it on November 14th, 2023 at Benedum Center for the Performing Arts.