{"id":6189,"date":"2026-02-21T13:15:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T12:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/birgitnilsson.com\/museum\/?p=6189"},"modified":"2026-03-18T17:00:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T16:00:18","slug":"wagners-the-flying-dutchman-reaches-bastad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birgitnilsson.com\/museum\/en\/wagners-the-flying-dutchman-reaches-bastad\/","title":{"rendered":"Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman reaches B\u00e5stad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A scenic open-air production of Richard Wagner’s opera The Flying Dutchman<\/em> will be the finale at the Birgit Nilsson Festival 2026, with world-class singers, the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra and choirs across Sk\u00e5ne \u2013 at the Tennis Stadium in B\u00e5stad on August 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading roles will be sung by Christopher Maltman (The Dutchman), Elisabet Strid (Senta) och G\u00fcnther Groissb\u00f6ck (Daland), Stanislas de Barbeyrac (Erik), Martina Dike (Mary) and Tobias Westman (Daland\u2019s Steerman), with musical direction by Henrik N\u00e1n\u00e1si.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Flying Dutchman<\/em> is the obvious gateway to Wagner\u2019s world. It is a captivating story filled with romance, longing and reconciliation, loaded with outstanding music that is difficult to defend against,\u201d says Bengt Hall, the festival\u2019s artistic director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

English baritone Christopher Maltman is one of today’s most sought-after opera singers, with regular guest appearances at opera houses such as the Staatsoper Berlin, the Bayerische Staatsoper, the Op\u00e9ra National de Paris, the Wiener Staatsoper and the Metropolitan Opera in New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swedish soprano Elisabet Strid is one of the foremost Wagner singers of our time, with appearances at opera houses such as the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, the Deutsche Oper Berlin and the Teatro Real in Madrid. Her roles include Isolde, Salome and Senta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hungarian-born conductor Henrik N\u00e1n\u00e1si, former music director of the Komische Oper in Berlin, regularly performs at Europe’s most prestigious opera houses and concert halls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Flying Dutchman<\/em> is based on a legend about a condemned and deeply unhappy sea captain on a ghost ship, whose only salvation is a woman’s self-sacrificing love. Wagner was inspired to write the opera on the Norwegian coast during a dramatic and stormy sea voyage from Riga to London. With its catchy arias and powerful choruses, The Flying Dutchman is considered Wagner’s most accessible opera. It follows the festival’s production of Verdi’s Aida, which last summer set an audience record for the Tennis Stadium’s open-air opera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Flying Dutchman<\/em> is part of the extensive Birgit Nilsson Festival programme (2-8 August 2026) which will be announced shortly. The Birgit Nilsson Festival is organized by the Birgit Nilsson Stiftelsen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Dutchman \u2013 Christopher Maltman
Senta \u2013 Elisabet Strid
Daland \u2013 G\u00fcnther Groissb\u00f6ck
Erik \u2013 Stanislas de Barbeyrac
Mary \u2013 Martina Dike
The Steersman \u2013 Tobias Westman
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra
Choral singers from Sk\u00e5ne
Conductor, Henrik N\u00e1n\u00e1si<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christopher Maltman<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most sought-after dramatic baritones today, Grammy Award winner Christopher Maltman has appeared to wide acclaim on all the major operatic stages such as the Royal Opera House, Salzburg Festival, Wiener Staatsoper, the Metropolitan Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin and Teatro alla Scala in Milan. Initially associated with the works of Mozart and a globally renowned Don Giovanni, his extensive and ever-growing repertoire includes roles such as Iago in Otello<\/em>, Wotan in Wagner\u2019s Ring Cycle<\/em>, Jochanaan in Salome<\/em>, the title role of Verdi\u2019s Rigoletto<\/em>, Orest Elektra<\/em>, Amfortas Parsifal<\/em> and Scarpia Tosca<\/em>. In the autumn of 2025, he made his debut as the Dutchman in the Bayerische Staatsoper’s production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elisabet Strid<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Swedish soprano is one of the most successful interpreters of Wagner and Strauss roles. After her successful debut at the ROH Covent Garden Opera London as Senta in Der Fliegende Holl\u00e4nder in 2024, she will sing Br\u00fcnnhilde at this Opera House in the new production (2025-2027) of Der Ring des Nibelungen. In 2024 she was Isolde in Tristan und Isolde at the Royal Opera Copenhagen  and the Grand Th\u00e9\u00e2tre de Gen\u00e8ve. In 2025, she sang Senta at the Tokyo National Opera and at the Palau de les Arts, Reina Sofia Valencia and Elisabeth in Tannh\u00e4user at the Wagner Days in Budapest. Her most sung roles include Sieglinde and Senta. Other roles include Br\u00fcnnhilde i  Siegfried och Eva i M\u00e4sters\u00e5ngarna i N\u00fcrnberg. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

G\u00fcnther Groissb\u00f6ck<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Austrian bass G\u00fcnther Groissb\u00f6ck has established himself as one of the most sought-after singers of his time. G\u00fcnther regularly performs major roles on stages such as Wiener Staatsoper, the Metropolitan Opera, Op\u00e9ra national de Paris, Teatro alla Scala, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Bayerische Staatsoper, Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Berlin, Arena di Verona and Bayreuther Festspiele. Recent highlights include Hermann Tannh\u00e4user and K\u00f6nig Marke (Tristan und Isolde) at Bayreuther Festspiele; K\u00f6nig Marke (Tristan und Isolde) and Gurnemanz (Parsifal) at Deutsche Oper Berlin; Veit Pogner (Die Meistersinger von N\u00fcrnberg), Gurnemanz (Parsifal), Orest (Elektra), Sarastro (Die Zauberfl\u00f6te), K\u00f6nig Marke (Tristan und Isolde), at Wiener Staatsoper; and Baron Ochs (Der Rosenkavalier) at Staatsoper Berlin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Martina Dike<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swedish mezzo-soprano Martina Dike is best known for her portrayal of dramatic Wagner-roles. One of the latest highlights was her interpretation of Ortrud (Lohengrin<\/em>) at Malm\u00f6 Opera, a role she has previously sung at Staatstheater Nuremberg and at the Greek National Opera in Athens.\u00a0Another of Martina\u2019s signature roles is Brang\u00e4ne (Tristan und Isolde<\/em>). Martina Dike has sung Fricka, Waltraute and Second Norn at Bayreuther Festspiele. Among further roles are Gr\u00e4fin Geschwitz (Lulu<\/em>), Klytamnestra (Elektra<\/em>), Eboli (Don Carlos<\/em>) and Amneris (Aida<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stanislas de Barbeyrac<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After his acclaimed debut as Tamino in The Magic Flute at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Stanislas de Barbeyrac is one of the most sought-after tenors of his generation. He has performed at the Op\u00e9ra national de Paris, Covent Garden Royal Opera House, the Salzburg Festival, the Teatro municipal de Sao Paulo, the Op\u00e9ra national du Rhin in Strasbourg and the Chor\u00e9gies d’Orange, La Monnaie in Brussels, the Nederlandse Opera in Amsterdam, the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich and the San Francisco Opera. Current engagements: Erik (The Flying Dutchman) in Turin, Siegmund (Die Walk\u00fcre) at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, Don Jos\u00e9 (Carmen) in Munich, Lensky (Eugene Onegin) at the Metropolitan Opera, and Max (The Free Shooter) at the Bayerische Staatsoper. At the Drottningholm Palace Theatre, Stanislas de Barbeyrac sang the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tobias Westman<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tobias Westman is one of Sweden’s most promising singers. Season 2024-25 he did several roles at Gothenburg Opera includes Rodrigo in Otello, Horace Adams in Peter Grimes, Tomas Vogel in Der Schaupspieldirektor and Alm\u00e9ric in Iolanta. In season 2025-26 he started with Tamino in Die Zauberfl\u00f6te at G\u00f6teborgsOperan.Tobias Westman has participated in productions such as Parsifal, Wozzeck and Die Zauberfl\u00f6te at the Op\u00e9ra National de Paris. Tobias has created the title role of Young Jussi in Silverf\u00e5geln by Mats Larsson Gothe in Vattn\u00e4s, Sweden. Concert Barn and played roles at The Royal Swedish Opera, Malm\u00f6 Opera (including Pinterton in Verdi’s La traviata), Wermland Opera and Op\u00e9ra Dijon as well as at the Potsdam Early Music Festival and Copenhagen Opera Festival. Birgit Nilsson Stipendium in 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henrik N\u00e1n\u00e1si<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henrik N\u00e1n\u00e1si is a regular guest at the world\u2019s major opera houses including The Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala, San Francisco Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper Op\u00e9ra National de Paris, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opernhaus Z\u00fcrich, etc.Aktuella engagemang: La traviata p\u00e5 Bayerische Staatsoper, Turandot p\u00e5 Bayerische Staatsoper och Opera Australia, Werther p\u00e5 Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona och  Luisa Miller p\u00e5 Statsoper Hamburg. Henrik N\u00e1n\u00e1si was General Music Director of the Komische Oper Berlin from 2012 to 2017. Since his appointment in 2012, the Komische Oper Berlin has been named \u201cOpera House of the Year 2013\u201d by Opera World Magazine and \u201cOpera Company of the Year 2015\u201d at the Opera Awards.On the concert stage, he has worked with a large number of orchestras.His recording projects include DVD recordings of Turandot and Jen\u016ffa, Carmen and the CD recording of La Gazza Ladra. Henrik N\u00e1n\u00e1si was born in P\u00e9cs\/Hungary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Richard Wagner: The Flying Dutchman
\u2022 August 8 at 7:00 PM
\u2022 Tennis Stadium in B\u00e5stad
\u2022 Outdoor concert
\u2022 Running time: approx. 3 hours incl. 15 min. intermission
\u2022 Admission from 5:00 PM
\u2022 Catering available on site
\u2022 Own food and drinks not allowed
\u2022 Birgit Nilsson Festival August 2-8, 2026
\u2022 More info: www.birgitnilsson.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tickets juliusbiljettservice.se<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

PS. When Birgit Nilsson sang Senta, the audience is said to have felt the stormy nerve in the music and the romantic heart of the story. Her portrayal highlighted both Senta’s strength and vulnerability \u2013 and made the opera more than a ghost story. A drama about man’s eternal search for meaning and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n