Dutchman artists in town

Our guest artists for The Flying Dutchman arrived on Sunday. Whether from Norway or New York, they are now in Madison for this special occasion and began rehearsing on Monday. And it sounds like they've already clicked. This morning, I had the pleasure of sitting in on an interview with our director Michael Scarola, bass-baritone Bradley Garvin (The Dutchman), and soprano Turid Karlsen (Senta), who were all very enthusiastic and brimming with insights on Wagner's work. Something that stuck out was Michael's sheer excitement about the beautiful voices of the cast, and the unique mix of performers who have deep experience with their roles (Turid has sung Senta in over 6 different productions) and those making role debuts (like Bradley as The Dutchman and Arnold Rawls as Erik). There is great creative energy at work, and we all get to reap the benefits in three weeks!

Wolfgang Wagner dies

News this morning is that Wolfgang Wagner, the grandson of Richard Wagner, has died at the age of 90. Wolfgang was the longtime leader of the Bayreuth opera festival (above) in Germany, which is committed exclusively to producing works of his grandfather, the famed opera composer. More information in the Washington Post.

The Top 5 Things you May Not Know About Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman

1. Before Wagner composed his epic 5 hour operas, he wrote The Flying Dutchman, a compact, 2 and a half hour gem.
2. Wagner's musical influences for The Flying Dutchman came from the operas of Verdi, Donizetti, and other popular Italian tunesmiths.
3. The Flying Dutchman is a straightforward tale of love, loss, one haunted ship and a bunch of drunken sailors.
4. Pop icons such as Jethro Tull and Tori Amos are just a few who have also set the Dutchman story to music. Other references can be found in The Pirates of the Caribbean and SpongeBob SquarePants.
5. Madison Opera's production of The Flying Dutchman opened at New York City Opera on September 15th, 2001, four days after its intended premiere on September 11th. At Mayor Guiliani's request, it was the first show held at a major New York arts venue after the tragedy.

BONUS: Norwegian soprano Turid Karlsen returns to Madison Opera in the role of Senta after her stunning debut in Turandot (2004). The Los Angeles Times raves, "Her voice is thrilling." Watch Turid perform excerpts from The Flying Dutchman on YouTube!

TICKETS: Don't wait to purchase your seats for this Madison premiere on April 9  and 11 in Overture Hall. Buy online or call (608) 258-4141. Tickets start at just $16!