The flying Dutchman

First elevator

The Norwegian seafarer Daland's ship gets caught in a heavy storm and anchors in a sheltered bay not far from the home port. While the crew is resting, the ship of the Dutchman appears there, as if out of nowhere, who once blasphemously swore that he would never cease to circumnavigate the Cape of Good Hope, and who was therefore actually condemned to do so for to be at sea forever. He is only allowed to go ashore every seven years. If he found a woman there who would remain loyal to him, he and his team would be redeemed. Seven years have just passed again; the Dutch desperately hopes for the unreserved love of a woman so that he can regain his mortality and finally die. Now he is wooing Daland for the hand of his daughter Senta. Daland, impressed by the rich treasures the Dutchman has collected on his journey, agrees. After the storm subsided, the two ships sail towards Daland's home.

second elevator

Singing and spinning, the girls await the return of their loved ones going to sea in a room. Only Senta refuses and instead performs the ballad of “The Flying Dutchman”, whose fate touches her. Senta is courted by the young hunter Erik, who is concerned about the dreams of his loved one, who always seems to forget everything else in front of the gloomy image of the seafarer. Senta feels called to redeem the “poor man”. Desperate, Erik leaves the girl when Senta's father enters the room with the Dutchman. Senta now knows that she is destined to accomplish the work of redemption. An intimate understanding is established between her and the Dutchman, and the connection is being prepared.

third elevator

In the third elevator the sailors prepare for the festival (helmsman leave the watch). They boldly try to invite the crew of the Dutch ship, but only frightening ghostly roar echoes from the ship, so that they flee in horror and fear. Erik asks Senta once again to remember her earlier familiarity and love, and reminds her that she has vowed eternal loyalty to him, which Senta denies with horror. The Dutchman who entered has overheard the conversation and is sure that Senta cannot and will not be faithful to him. In order to save her from damnation, he tells her (what she has long known) about his curse (learn the fate from which I save you). He rushes to his ship in order to remain unsaved for ever. But Senta pursues him, announces again loudly that she will be loyal to him [...] until death, and throws herself from the rock into the sea. Immediately the Dutchman's ship sinks into the waters. The Dutchman is redeemed. - In a later correction of the ending (1860) we see the Dutchman and Senta rising from the sea to the sky to the music with the “redemption motif”.