THE MYTH OF THE
FLYING DUTCHMAN

at the Rosedale Golf Club

Saturday 6th March and
Sunday 7th March, 2010

10:00 am to 4:00 pm each day
$250 (including two lunches)

Register here

  

The myth of Philip Vanderdecken, the doomed Spanish Netherlands sea-captain who vowed that he would round a cape if it took him for eternity to do so -- and who was overheard by the Devil, and thus held to his vow -- is of fairly recent vintage (first recorded in 1795).

Wagner adapted this spooky myth as "Der fliegende Holländer", originally setting it in Scotland, then changing it to Norway.

As usual, he cast himself autobiographically as the misunderstood outsider, needing a redemptive woman for his salvation.

This is the earliest (1843) of the Wagner canon to find favour at Bayreuth -- and shows an early stage of Wagner's development, using "traditional" music for the earthly characters and "modern" music for the ghosts.

This weekend seminar will serve as a preparation for the Canadian Opera Company's revival of the opera (opens 24th April).