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The COC opens its first full season because the pandemic with a brand new manufacturing of The Flying Dutchman, with director Marilyn Gronsdal taking up the unique imaginative and prescient from American director Christopher Alden. The Dutchman is a doomed sea captain condemned by the satan to sail the seas for eternity, solely capable of set foot on shore for at some point each seven years. If he can discover real love from a girl that at some point, the curse is damaged. Senta has been obsessive about the legend of The Dutchman, and goals to redeem him from his merciless destiny. After they lastly meet, and her former suitor threatens to shatter her fantasy-come-true, Senta makes the final word sacrifice to convey redemption to herself and The Dutchman.
What you missed
Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman is a darkish and slow-moving story. There may be not a lot motion nor many characters on stage. Therefore, it depends on the visuals and vocals to impress. The steep-angled, double-raked stage creates a placing picture of a ship on stormy seas. This was complemented by Anne Militello‘s intelligent use of lighting, with shadows strategically solid to evoke a haunting and suspenseful impact.
Photograph: Michael Cooper
“The Time period is Up”—with these first 4 phrases, Danish bass-baritone Johan Reuter within the title function instantly captivates along with his magnetic voice and commanding presence. He launches into the Dutchman’s monologue with palpable ache and despair, however is often drowned by the orchestra. American soprano Marjorie Owens is a robust Senta, the energy of her voice matching that of her character. Her excessive notes are fired with precision and full vibrato. Regardless of this being a love story, there are not any tender gazes and passionate embraces throughout their love duet, but their vocals are properly balanced towards one another and full of gorgeous craving.
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German bass Franz-Josef Selig is a stentorian Captain Daland, Senta’s father, whose orotund voice is well-suited to his function. Erik, Senta’s scorned lover, was pleasantly sung by British tenor Christopher Ventris with a lyrical and buttery sound. The opposite tenor, American Mules Mykkanen because the Steersman, is a full-voiced tenor with clear phrasing. British mezzo Rosie Aldridge introduced a down-to-earth contact as Senta’s nurse Mary.
Photograph: Michael Cooper
The choruses function closely on this opera, and the COC refrain—at all times superbly-prepared by chorusmaster Sandra Horst– doesn’t disappoint. Though the lads have been good as working sailors, it was the ladies who stole the present. Their spinning wheel refrain was merely angelic.
Gripes
The Flying Dutchman holds particular significance for conductor and COC music director Johannes Debus. It was the primary opera he performed after becoming a member of the COC in 2010. The overture, spanning the primary 10 minutes of the opera, was a positive showcase of the COC orchestra, albeit it was not all clear taking part in, and the brass was a bit muddled by means of the polka. For a gap evening, the attendance was moderately low. However, this was a positive manufacturing with a stable solid.
Canadian Opera Firm presents The Flying Dutchman on the 4 Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto on October 7, 9, 13, 15, 19, 21 and 23, 2022. www.coc.ca
