Der fliegende Holländer, The Flying Dutchman: Character Map
Der fliegende Holländer, The Flying Dutchman: Roles
| The Dutchman | bass-baritone | |
| Senta | Daland’s daughter | soprano |
| Daland | a Norwegian sea captain | bass |
| Erik | a huntsman | tenor |
| Mary | Senta’s nurse | contralto |
| Daland’s steersman | tenor |
- Native title: Der fliegende Holländer
- Composers: Richard Wagner
- Librettist: Richard Wagner
- Based on: Retelling of Der fliegende Holländer by Heinrich Heine
- Language: German
- Premiere: January 2, 1843, Königliches Hoftheater Dresden
- Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes (Act 1: 60 minutes, Act 2: 45 minutes, Act 3: 35 minutes)
Der fliegende Holländer, The Flying Dutchman: Short Synopsis
A Dutch captain is at sea, cursed with immortality because of a terrible word he once uttered. To break the curse of immortality, he needs to be granted eternal chastity by a woman. He goes ashore a chaste woman, but there is no such woman.
Daland, the captain of a Norwegian ship, flees to a cove in a storm and meets the Dutchman. The Dutchman asks to meet Daland’s daughter in exchange for treasure.
At the same time, Daland’s daughter Senta falls in love with a portrait of the Dutchman, a sailor’s legend. However, Senta has a lover named Eric. Durland takes the Dutchman home. Senta vows to marry the Dutchman, who looks exactly like the portrait.
Erik is angry at Senta’s disloyalty. The Dutchman overhears their conversation and bids Senta farewell. Senta says she will give her life for eternal fidelity and throws herself into the sea. The ghost ship sinks, and the Dutchman and Senta emerge from the sea looking divine and go to heaven.