Summary: The Flying Dutchman, WWV 63, is a German-language opera, with libretto and music by Richard Wagner. Wagner claimed in his 1870 autobiography 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 acknowledged he had taken the story from Heinrich Heine's retelling of the legend in his 1833 satirical novel The Memoirs of Mister von Schnabelewopski. The central theme is redemption through love. Wagner conducted the premiere at the Semper Opera in Dresden in 1843. This work shows early attempts at operatic styles that would characterise his later music dramas. Wagner uses a number of leading motifs associated with the characters and themes. The motifs 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 the work to be performed without intermission – an example of his efforts to break with tradition – and, while today's opera houses sometimes still follow this directive, it is also performed in a three-act version. This performance, by the CMD German Opera Company of Berlin, is available for purchase at our online CD store - www.ClassicalRecordings.co Sponsors of this show are: Flowers.FM - Sponsor of the Wagner Opera Series Other Links: Advertise on Classical Music Discoveries Become a Friend of Classical Music Discoveries About our Recording Equipment Websites for Musicians Created by Musicians Grocery and Travel Coupons (save thousands of dollars) Have Your Music Played on Classical Music Discoveries Music Store - download music from our shows (without the show dialogues) Classical Essentials - FREE Classical Music (sponsored by Dennis Loeffel) Join us on Facebook
