Erik’s Trip

In a season which has thus far involved a world première and a high-profile new entry in an ongoing Meyerbeer cycle, the arrival of a new production of Wagner’s ever-popular Der fliegende Holländer at the Deutsche Oper seemed curiously low-key. Yet the alignment of a thoughtful staging, a solid cast, an exceptional performance from the choir, and an energetic, beautifully-fashioned reading from Donald Runnicles resulted in an evening of dramatic coherence and consistent musical delight.

Director Christian Spuck’s staging managed to be conceptually satisfying without overextending its concept or testing Wagner’s libretto to destruction. It was also, in its own gloomy way, quite beautiful. The atmospheric and largely monochromatic set (by Rufus Didwiszus) was essentially a large, dank room with two faintly discernable double-doors toward…