Theater Erfurt's General Director, Guy Montavon was responsible for nearly turning THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, (Der fliegende Hollander) Richard Wagner's technicolor, romantic dream of an opera into a black, white and grey nightmare. The story of the Dutchman, Wagner's tragic 'pale Sailor' cursed by Satan to wander the seas eternally on a ghostly ship, who is finally rescued by the chaste love of a sea captain's daughter, (Senta), was nearly capsized by Montavon's very questionable directorial concept and exacerbated by absurd choices in the makeup-, lighting- and costume designs.
Opera Theatre of St. Louis has opened its thirty-ninth season with a bang. Their production of The Magic Flute is unlike any other you've seen (or ever will see).