Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman Docks at Tenerife Auditorium
Richard Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” (Der fliegende Holländer) makes its debut at Auditorio de Tenerife this season. This gripping production by Ópera de Tenerife will be performed on Sunday, November 16, Wednesday, November 19, and Saturday, November 22, with all shows starting at 7:30 PM. The opera runs for two hours without an intermission, pulling the audience into its haunting narrative without pause.
A Cast of International Stars
The title role of the Dutchman is brought to life by Bulgarian baritone Anton Keremidtchiev. He is joined by an acclaimed international cast featuring Armenian-German bass Vazgen Gazaryan, Spanish soprano Ángeles Blancas, Tenerife-born tenor Airam Hernández, Argentine mezzosoprano Guadalupe Barrientos, and Majorcan tenor Joan Laínez.
A Scenic Drama Behind the Scenes
This production arrives in Tenerife after its premiere at the Teatro Municipal de Santiago in Chile. However, Canarian audiences will witness a completely new staging due to an unexpected logistical crisis. The containers holding the original scenery were stranded in Chile, forcing the stage director, Argentine Marcelo Lombardero, and his team, together with the Auditorio staff, to build an entirely new set from scratch. The only elements salvaged from the Chilean run were the costumes.
The Legend of the Cursed Mariner
First staged in Dresden in 1843, the opera is based on a timeless legend that has inspired works across many disciplines. It tells the story of a mysterious ghost ship with blood-red sails, propelled by phantom forces and commanded by a pale man who comes ashore. Its captain is the Flying Dutchman, cursed for having invoked Satan and condemned to sail the seas for eternity. His punishment is suspended only once every seven years, when he is permitted to go ashore and seek a love pure enough to break the curse and redeem him.
A Focus on Senta’s Story
Beyond the protagonist’s quest, this production focuses on the story of Senta. She is a woman raised in a violent, male-dominated environment who seeks escape through the mythical figure of the Dutch sailor. Stage director Marcelo Lombardero highlighted the “iconic building” that will host the opera but was quick to praise the people who work there, whose “dedication and commitment” made the new staging possible against all odds.
Connecting Atlantic and Pacific Islands
Lombardero also drew parallels between Chile and the Canary Islands, the two locations where this production will be seen. “We conceived this version for the South Pacific, but it connects in many elements with this Atlantic territory,” he commented. He added, “Islands are places of fantasy and myths. In fact, in Chile we have a legend of a ship that also appears from time to time, though ours is a much kinder and prettier tale.”
The Artists’ Perspective
Soprano Ángeles Blancas, who portrays Senta, returns to Tenerife after starring in “Rusalka” last season. She revealed that this marks her Wagnerian debut: “It is not often that a Spanish singer is given this opportunity.” She expressed that “our combined energy is what makes the show great,” and highlighted the learning process inherent in such productions.
Anton Keremidtchiev, the Bulgarian baritone playing the Dutchman, stated that this is “one of Wagner’s most beautiful operas, and to perform it precisely in this building and on this island is a pleasure.” Meanwhile, Tenerife’s own Airam Hernández, who plays Erik, acknowledged that “it is a pleasure to sing at home, something I always try to fit into my seasons.” He also noted that he will be working extensively in Tenerife this season, participating in several concerts with the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra as well as the opera “Roméo et Juliette” in March.
A Triumph of Musical Passion
The artistic director of Auditorio de Tenerife, José Luis Rivero, celebrated that “the love for music made it possible for this opera to premiere after the problem we suffered with the containers.” He extended an “enormous thank you” to the team that made this opening possible. Despite the international cast, there is a strong Spanish presence across all sectors of the production, from the performers to the technical crew.
This includes the musical director, Madrid-born Guillermo García Calvo, who described the opera as “romantic, passionate, and full of extremes.” Although he has conducted the Tenerife Symphony Orchestra before, he expressed that this occasion is special because “it feels as if the opera happens more in the orchestra pit than on the stage.”
Practical Information for Attendees
José Carlos Acha, Councillor of Culture for the Tenerife Council, highlighted the projections and visual effects of this production. Wagner was inspired by a real voyage he undertook in 1839 and composed the work “as a song to redemption through love.”
For the second consecutive season, the Tenerife Council has launched the ‘Lanzadera Ópera’ (Opera Shuttle), offering free transportation on two Titsa buses. The buses will depart from Adeje and Buenavista del Norte, with Auditorio de Tenerife as the destination for all performances in the Ópera de Tenerife subscription series. The season passes are free and can be acquired directly on the Ópera de Tenerife website.
