I saw SO's new production of Der fliegende Hollander on Saturday. I was a bit apprehensive as I'd heard that the setting had been updated & relocated to Scotland, & involved an oil rig. However, as it turned out my fears were unfounded and I enjoyed a splendid production & some excellent performances.
It was presented in its three-act form, with a longish pause between Acts 1 & 2, & a 20 minute interval between 2 & 3. I thought that this might reduce the tension & drama, but that wasn't the case. The second act was the most powerful; set in a 1970s Seaman's Mission somewhere on the North-East coast (possibly Fraserburgh or Peterhead) with the women preparing for the home-coming of their men, and possibly for a wedding - Senta's perhaps? As the SO doesn't have a resident chorus the director's (Harry Fehr) achievement in portraying a group of individual personalities was substantial. Senta was characterised as being rather 'simple', someone who was easily influenced, by her father and by the stories of the Flying Dutchman. Rachel Nicholls' performance, dramatically & musically, was superb. I felt that she created a believable person, with a believable reason for her obsession with the story & for her seizing on the Dutchman as a way of escape from her bullying father (Donald in this production) who would 'sell' her to the highest bidder, & overbearing fiance, George -as well as a hunter he was a minister, & clearly regarded Senta as being posessed. Mary (Sarah Pring) was also an exceptional dramatic performance.
Unfortunately the Dutchman (Peteris Eglitis) was the weakest performance - his voice was rather colourless, & he didn't convey the sense of eeriness, weariness, & hope that one might want (perhaps rather a tall order, especially as he hasn't sung the role before).
As well as being updated & relocated the ending was changed - instead of jumping off a cliff into the sea Senta stabbed herself, & the Dutchman was shot by George.
A few quibbles: the picture was a rather abstract seascape, the image being blown up & used as the drop curtain - a rather indistinct oil-rig could be seen. It was a bit difficult to see how Senta could be obsessed by it. The men's chorus of sailors was perhaps rather large - it was difficult to see how they would all fit onto what seemed to be a rather small fishing boat
, & vocally they were a bit overpowering; the Dutchman's crew were similarly rather over-amplified. However they weren't enough to spoil an excellent production & a very enjoyable evening.
It was presented in its three-act form, with a longish pause between Acts 1 & 2, & a 20 minute interval between 2 & 3. I thought that this might reduce the tension & drama, but that wasn't the case. The second act was the most powerful; set in a 1970s Seaman's Mission somewhere on the North-East coast (possibly Fraserburgh or Peterhead) with the women preparing for the home-coming of their men, and possibly for a wedding - Senta's perhaps? As the SO doesn't have a resident chorus the director's (Harry Fehr) achievement in portraying a group of individual personalities was substantial. Senta was characterised as being rather 'simple', someone who was easily influenced, by her father and by the stories of the Flying Dutchman. Rachel Nicholls' performance, dramatically & musically, was superb. I felt that she created a believable person, with a believable reason for her obsession with the story & for her seizing on the Dutchman as a way of escape from her bullying father (Donald in this production) who would 'sell' her to the highest bidder, & overbearing fiance, George -as well as a hunter he was a minister, & clearly regarded Senta as being posessed. Mary (Sarah Pring) was also an exceptional dramatic performance.
Unfortunately the Dutchman (Peteris Eglitis) was the weakest performance - his voice was rather colourless, & he didn't convey the sense of eeriness, weariness, & hope that one might want (perhaps rather a tall order, especially as he hasn't sung the role before).
As well as being updated & relocated the ending was changed - instead of jumping off a cliff into the sea Senta stabbed herself, & the Dutchman was shot by George.
A few quibbles: the picture was a rather abstract seascape, the image being blown up & used as the drop curtain - a rather indistinct oil-rig could be seen. It was a bit difficult to see how Senta could be obsessed by it. The men's chorus of sailors was perhaps rather large - it was difficult to see how they would all fit onto what seemed to be a rather small fishing boat
, & vocally they were a bit overpowering; the Dutchman's crew were similarly rather over-amplified. However they weren't enough to spoil an excellent production & a very enjoyable evening.
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