Otto Klemperer’s 1968 recording of Wagner’s Flying Dutchman (on EMI) has long been considered a classic. Using the three-act version, Klemperer elicited performances from the New Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Chorus, Theo Adam, Anja Silja, and Martti Talvela that are both doom- and tension-filled. During the period he was in the studio making the recording, he and the same forces gave a concert performance in London’s Royal Festival Hall, and this set–available, I believe, for the first time–is a record of that event.
And it’s magnificent: Running only a couple of minutes shorter than it did in the studio (and still at least 10 minutes longer than any competitor), this now becomes the Dutchman of choice. The sound is amazingly good for a live performance, so Klemperer’s huge point of view is never smudged. The huge melodic sweep is ever-present, but so are the rumblings and churnings that are so crucial to this work. Adam sings from the depth of his soul but without sacrificing Wagner’s still-somewhat-Italianate line. Much the same could be said for Silja’s breathtaking Senta, but her right-on nervousness adds something special as well. Talvela probably has never been heard to better advantage, making of Daland more than the usual brawny, briney galoot he can be. And this live show has a better Erik than EMI’s in James King, who sings with ardor and ringing tone. The way in which the singers know one another is the definition of true ensemble. This set is a knockout–and, by the way, it fits on 2 CDs rather than EMI’s three, so it’s a (relative) bargain as well!
