Wagner: Der fliegende Holländer

This live recording of Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) derives from two concert performances given in Oslo in 2024, where the star of the show was Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen. Though Davidsen has been thrilling audiences in Wagner for some years previously, this is her first complete recording of a Wagner opera. It’s been worth the wait. Davidsen proves an electric presence as Senta, a sea captain’s daughter determined to bring redemption to a benighted Dutch mariner who “roams the ocean without rest or peace”. Senta’s Act II “Ballad” is rivetingly delivered, and her duet with the dark-hued, gritty Dutchman of bass-baritone Gerald Finley distils the very essence of simmering Romantic yearning. Supporting roles are also strongly cast, the anguished Erik of tenor Stanislas de Barbeyrac particularly catching attention. Conductor Edward Gardner draws outstanding contributions from the chorus and orchestra of Norwegian National Opera, capping this superbly dramatic rendition of Wagner’s first operatic masterpiece.