The Flying Dutchman

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 37K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Der Fliegende Hollaender by Richard WagnerAuthor: Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883,Language: German, Class: ML: Music: Literature of music, Release Date: Jan 11, 2009

Editor's review

This is the German libretto e-book of Wagner's opera The Flying Dutchman, a text in the category of music literature. Its value lies in giving readers direct access to the opera text as Wagner himself wrote it, rather than through a translation or plot summary, so one can more vividly feel its verbal rhythm, imagery, and dramatic structure. For those studying Wagner's operas, German Romantic literature, or the relationship between music and drama, this original text is more useful for reference than a secondhand overview. When reading, one might treat it as a speakable verse-drama script: first read through the plot trajectory, then notice how the arias and dialogue between Senta and the Dutchman advance the theme of fate. Because it is in the original German and is a public-domain e-book without notes or introduction, the reading experience is closer to consulting a document than to an introductory appreciation; it is suited for use alongside recordings or performances.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Intermediate and advanced learners of German who wish to improve their reading with opera texts
Readers studying Wagner's operas or German Romantic literature
Music professionals preparing performances, rehearsals, or reviews
Experienced opera lovers who enjoy following original librettos while listening to recordings

Not a good fit for

Complete beginners with no German who want an easy plot summary
General literature lovers who need detailed notes, introductions, and Chinese translation
Young readers who only want opera story adaptations or illustrated editions

Reading tips

Read a Chinese plot summary once first, then read through the German original alongside it to lower the barrier to understanding.
Use a recording or video of The Flying Dutchman and follow the script act by act while listening.
Extract the core vocal passages of Senta and the Dutchman and read them aloud separately to feel the rhythm of the language.
Keep a German dictionary at hand and look up nautical and folk-legend vocabulary as needed.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book the complete full score of Wagner's opera?

No. This is the literary libretto of the opera, that is, the spoken and sung text; it does not include the orchestral full score or piano score. It is suitable for reading and following the plot; if you need to study the musical structure, you will need to find the score separately.

Can I read this book without knowing German?

You can read it with the help of translation software or alongside a Chinese translation, but the rhyme and wordplay of the original will be largely lost. If you only want to understand the story, it is advisable to read a Chinese plot introduction first and then decide whether to go deeper into the original.

Does this edition have notes or an introduction?

This is a public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg, which usually provides only the main text of the work, without modern editorial notes, introduction, or background chronology. Readers need to supplement relevant research materials themselves.

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About the author

Wagner, Richard, 1813-1883 Author

Richard Wagner (1813–1883) was a German composer and dramatist, known for reforming opera and advocating the idea of the "total work of art." The collection holds fifteen of his works, mostly opera librettos and related texts, including Tristan and Isolda, Siegfried and The Twilight of the Gods and The Valkyries from the Ring cycle, The Flying Dutchman, Parsifal, and the second volume of his autobiography, My Life. These works show his use of myth and legend as source material and his technique of leitmotifs running through an entire drama, with music and theatre tightly fused on a grand scale. His operatic theories and compositions have had a lasting influence on later music, drama, and literature. Because public information is limited, this note describes only the themes and style of the works held in the collection.