The Flying Dutchman is a magnificent opera, and never more so than in its overture—one of the most cherished overtures in the entire operatic repertoire. Some people think the overture is the best thing in the whole show.
Years ago, my friend Fred Kirshnit, the critic, was taken to see The Flying Dutchman by his uncle Syd. This was at the old Met. When the overture ended, Syd leaned over to his nephew and said, “It’s all downhill from here.”
