Der fliegende Holländer

Compelling, succinct, elemental, The Flying Dutchman, Wagner’s first indisputable masterwork, wouldn’t seem to present any great problems for an opera house, unless his directions about heaving ships are taken too literally — very unlikely — so why does one never see it well produced? The Royal Opera has made especially heavy weather of it, but not in the right sense, for the last quarter-century. Tim Albery’s 2009 production has egregious faults, and few merits: above all, it fails to establish any potent atmosphere, and the singers are left largely to their own devices, with unhelpful scenery to stagger around on.

The present revival is nonetheless very worthwhile, thanks to the powerful rendering of the two leading roles. As the Dutchman, Egils Silins, a Latvian who sang a superb Wotan in Manchester three months ago, delivers a great performance. Ideally one would like a slightly larger voice, but his is beautiful, steady, legato rather than declamatory, and he lives the words and the drama with urgency.