The story, believed to date back to 1600 and based on a maritime tale passed down orally by Dutch sailors, was built upon a story of the same theme penned by Heinrich Heine. After being inspired by Heine and experiencing a stormy sea voyage, Wagner began the creation process of the opera The Flying Dutchman.

First performed in 1843 at the Königliches Hoftheater in Dresden, The Flying Dutchman opera, which continues to captivate even those who do not believe in legends, is set on the Norwegian coast in the 18th century. The main character, the Dutchman, is a sailor cursed to live forever at sea, stripped of his mortality, because he defied the seas and storms without yielding. The curse can only be broken on one condition: he must find pure and true love once every seven years when he is allowed to come ashore! The Dutchman’s punishment can only be forgiven by the sincere love of a self-sacrificing and faithful woman. After a seven-year period, will the Dutchman, upon returning to land, find the love of a woman who can save him from his curse?

Wagner, in his operas, often explored the general status of female characters and depicted how resolution was achieved through the woman's self-sacrifice. This is exemplified in the character of Senta in The Flying Dutchman opera. Having premiered as the opening work of the 15th International İstanbul Opera and Ballet Festival, The Flying Dutchman continues to meet art enthusiasts in our 2024-2025 art season.

Libretto: Richard Wagner
Conductor: İbrahim Yazıcı
Director: Sebastian Welker
Set Design: Efter Tunç
Costume Design: Serdar Başbuğ
Lighting Design: Yakup Çartık
Choir Conductor: Volkan Akkoç
Choreography: Emre Karaca

İSTANBUL STATE OPERA AND BALLET ORCHESTRA AND CHOIR