The Lyric Opera 2012-13 season continues tonight with an all new production of The Flying Dutchman by Richard Wagner at 7:30. The Company would like to thank everyone who is involved in the production which we are sure the audiences will love! In honor of the opening, we have added the show program below so you can learn all about the production as well as a preview article of The Flying Dutchman by Paul Horsley at The Independent and an interview with R. Keith Brumley, the Dutchman set designer, on KCMETROPOLIS.ORG.
DUTCHMAN ADRIFT: Lyric Opera embarks, finally, on mythical Wagnerian journey
by Paul Horsley of The Independent
Movers, Shakers, Stalwarts: R. Keith Brumley
by Jessica Showers of kcmetropolis.org
The first two acts were dreadfully slow and ponderous. The singers had talent but there was no synergy between them. Why on earth would you stage the second act’s main aria between the Dutchman and Senta and have them 50-60 feet a part for the great majority of the time.
The third act was sensational and almost redeemed the the whole event. It had power and passion. The Chorus was just great.
The guy who played the Hunter Erik was really the only character that displayed any fire throughout the opera. He was really good in a limited role.
To my mind the oles of the Dutchman and the Hunter should have been switched between the two performers. I saw Fink before in Rigoletto and he was magnificent, but seemed out of place as the Dutchman.
Wagner’s music was glorious and the orchestra did it justice.
I do have to say the the opening projection sequences of the storm reminded me so much of the beginning of “Victory at Sea”.