The Chandos ‘Opera
in English’ series, supported by the
Peter Moores Foundation, adds another
Wagner work to its burgeoning
collection – now approaching seventy
titles in total. Composers represented
so far, whilst ranging from Handel to
Gounod, seem to concentrate on Mozart,
Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Donizetti and
Janáček, so it is good to see more
Wagner included. The other notable
Wagner work already in the catalogue
is the Goodall Ring cycle, which was
released to critical acclaim in 2001.
With so many excellent
versions of The Flying Dutchman on the
market – featuring conductors such as
Klemperer, Levine, von Karajan, Dohnanyi,
Böhm, Sinopoli and Barenboim, and
Hans Hotter and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
singing the title role - it is a formidable
task to bring out one that compares
favourably. This version arrives with
the head-start of being different –
in English rather than German - and
therefore appealing to a particular
market. Yet it is in any case able to
tackle the competition head-on, with
an excellent cast, in what turns out
to be an all-round top production.
It is immediately apparent
from the emotionally charged Overture
that David Parry has got the work under
his skin, with the brilliant opening
at once capturing the nervous tension
in what is an exuberant and passionate
performance. Wild, rushing, fevered,
suitably tempestuous, with aptly coarse
brass, the overture is commensurate
with, and therefore a good foretaste
of, the rest of the work. It is a gripping,
on-edge, and well-paced performance,
and where the sections of lyrical beauty
break in, breath-takingly lush and romantic.
Eric Halfvarson plays
Daland capably, Nina Stemme is an effectively
frantic and unbridled Senta, Kim Begley
copes excellently with the rather difficult
role of the hopeless and vaguely pathetic
Eric, and Patricia Bardon is a proficient
Mary. John Tomlinson is fantastic as
a suitably agonised Dutchman – from
his very first words despair and wretchedness
shine through. His black, dark, harsh
tone is perfect for this role, and excellent
enunciation is a definite bonus. Some
Dutchmen are untouchable, unrivalled
- Willard White in the 1997 ENO production,
conducted by Paul Daniel, epitomised
the Dutchman role for me - but John
Tomlinson here comes close.
I have very few quibbles
with this performance. One of these
is that Peter Wedd, the Steersman, has
a voice more suited to Italian opera
than to Wagner, and the touching Steersman’s
song comes across as rather wet and
effeminate. In places I would like to
hear even more throbbing passion, as
even this does not quite reach the heights
of wild abandon that I look for in a
recording. One feels that very occasionally
the performance is slightly in need
of propulsion. The Italianate Wedd apart,
the cast has been extremely well chosen,
and the standard of singing is outstanding.
The London Philharmonic Orchestra and
Geoffrey Mitchell Choir are similarly
superb.
Ever the purist, I
cannot claim to be a fan of opera in
English. Firstly, what’s wrong with
reading the libretto beforehand, and
secondly, it is usually the case that
opera in English is as unintelligible
as in its original language! But I can
appreciate the demand for it, and here,
one really can hear the words – a tremendous
achievement, rendering this a very valuable
addition to the Chandos series, and
demonstrating how Chandos have hit the
mark with their typical efficacy. I
thus have no hesitation in saying that
this brilliant production is one that
I can heartily recommend if you don’t
mind – or would prefer – the work in
English rather than the original German!
Em Marshall
The Geoffrey Mitchell Choir 
