Opera Sustenida Presents Stephanie DeCiantis singing Senta’s Ballade from Der fliegende Holländer, Suzanne Yeo - piano
In Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman), Senta sits among the women of the village, spinning as they sing. She begins her ballad, recounting the legend of the cursed Dutchman doomed to sail until redeemed by a woman’s faithful love. As she sings, her fascination with the tale becomes clear—she feels destined to be the one who saves him. The ballade is both a haunting story and a revelation of Senta’s own obsession, foreshadowing the tragic choices she will make.
