An Award for Der fliegende Holländer

The Government of St. Petersburg has announced its prizewinners for 2013. The prize for achievement in musical and dramatic arts went to the creators of the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s production of Der fliegende Holländer. The prizewinners included Vasily Petrenko (conductor), Vasily Barkhatov (director), Nikolay Simonov (stage designer), Mariya Danilova (costume designer), Vladimir Stolpovskikh (chorus master), and Dmitry Golovnin (tenor soloist).

The première of Der fliegende Holländer, which took place during the year of the 200th anniversary of Richard Wagner’s birth, was of fundamental significance for the Mikhailovsky Theatre, as it was the first time in over 40 years that it had staged a work by one of the world’s greatest opera composers. The unconventional reading of the classical score won public acclaim: the theatre was packed for virtually every performance of Der fliegende Holländer. The première also caused a lively debate in the press; numerous reviews gave a detailed analysis of all aspects of the production’s staging and musical structure. In the opinion of the critics, the Mikhailovsky Theatre’s version of Der fliegende Holländer opened up the world of classical opera to the younger generation, broadening the aesthetic horizons of those who are more familiar with television or the cinema. “Bright, memorable action with a sumptuous soundtrack” was the short verdict which Fontanka.ru used to sum up its overall impression of the production.

The St. Petersburg Government’s decision to award the prize was warmly welcomed by the Mikhailovsky Theatre. As Vladimir Kekhman said, “The constant support of the city is one of the vital resources contributing to our development and creative growth. Der fliegende Holländer is one of the complex productions that, in recent seasons, have demanded maximum effort from every part of the theatre, and a search for unconventional solutions. It is nice to know that the theatre’s efforts are appreciated, not only by the public but also on an official level; I should like to express my sincere gratitude to the Government of St. Petersburg for this great token of its appreciation.”