The legendary Flying Dutchman drops anchor at the Lowry theatre, offering a haunting reimagining of Richard Wagner’s 1843 opera.
After a rash remark results in lifelong purgatory, The Dutchman (Robert Hayward) and his wistful crew are cursed to drift the sea until Judgement Day. Only a seven-yearly ultimatum remains in place to relieve them of their torture, allowing the crew to set foot on land while The Dutchman is given the opportunity to save his soul by finding a woman who will be faithful to him.
Set and costume designer Joanna Parker’s multi-disciplinary set is an impressive feat, reflecting an outpouring of rain using layered chains and elegant lighting effects. As the characters grapple with this new, unnatural force that has entered their lives, Wagner’s brooding score plunges the Lowry audience into their dark and foreshadowing world that manifests the characters desires.
In a world already full of drama and curses, director Annabelle Arden’s production fuses themes of asylum and boat crossings into the mix. The voices of refugees are heard off stage, opening each act and projections of floating boats and people are set in the background. As The Dutchman’s crew’s everlasting limbo is given a modern take, Arden takes the opportunity to highlight themes of self-serving politicians and capitalism.
Opera North’s shadowy staging places the weathered Dutchman as an overpowering force, appearing through ghostly projected visions and towering above his admirer and adversaries on and off the stage. Wagner’s sweeping motif guides The Dutchman’s appearances and references with a creeping score that builds on the unsettling nature of the doomed captain. Here Hayward’s commanding performance dominates the immense stage and his spirit lingers through the use of Opera North’s phenomenal orchestration.
Bartering for his life, The Dutchman sets out to marry Home Secretary, Daland’s (Clive Bailey) daughter. In exchange for a bribe Daland’s daughter, Senta (Layla Claire) is introduced to the captain, and fortunately for everyone involved, she is a hopeless romantic who falls deeply in love from his story alone. Unfortunately, her ex-Erik (Edgaras Montvidas) is the right-hand man to Daland and has every intention of breaking their union.
The Flying Dutchman’s myth is reimagined with suited high-flyers hustling around Daland, focused on profits and surrounded by computer coding. Unfortunately, the ideas surrounding the office setting and the stranded sailors are a bit confusing as the tale doesn’t amplify the crew's voices and the visuals don’t imagine anything for them beyond background status. Darlan’s redesign homes in on his motivation and greed, as he is placed in a jarring suit next to the ancient Dutchman. However, unlike Senta, Darlan’s refreshed image and the matter of the crew are given little time for reflection and have to wrestle against the aged visuals and tone of the original story that eventually settle on The Dutchman, his lover and his redemption.
Despite the production’s new blend to the classic, Claire’s soulful ballad and Hayward’s intensely powerful performance will Casper haunt audiences into submission. While Opera North’s beautiful live orchestrations of Wagner’s work carry the heartfelt three-act production.
#TheFlyingDutchman #TheLowry #Manchester #OperaNorth
Tickets are available via the Lowry link