Welsh National Opera’s Dutchman docks in Birmingham

Simon Bailey (Dutchman) and Rachel Nicholls (Senta)

Leonardo Caimi (Erik) and Rachel Nicholls (Senta)

The Flying Dutchman

Welsh National Opera Chorus

By Rohan Shotton, 09 May 2026

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“a powerful reminder of the extraordinary musical standards which are at risk”

Reviewed at Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham on 7 May 2026

Wagner, Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman)

Welsh National Opera

Tomáš Hanus, Conductor

Jack Furness, Director

Elin Steele, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Lizzie Powell, Lighting Designer

Welsh National Opera Orchestra

Welsh National Opera Chorus

Simon Bailey, Dutchman

Rachel Nicholls, Senta

Leonardo Caimi, Erik

James Creswell, Daland

Monika Sawa, Mary

Trystan Llŷr Griffiths, The Steersman

Rebecca Meltzer, Movement

A magnificent Tosca from Welsh National Opera at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 3rd October

WNO imports Edward Dick’s exceptionally fine production, which benefits from from superb casting and outstanding performances led by Natalya Romaniw.

*****

Bancroft and BBCNOW at the Proms: a deeply satisfying Mahler 3

David Karlin, 11th August

Bancroft and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales provide a Mahler 3 of exceptional clarity and forward momentum, with terrific posthorn solos from Corey Morris and Beth Taylor an outstanding soloist.

****1

A dark and disturbing Rigoletto from WNO at the Mayflower

David Truslove, 14th November

Fine performances in a punchy new production that coats this tragic opera in a large dollop of debauchery.

****1

WNO stages Death in Venice for the first time and it’s a triumph

Mark Valencia, 7th March

Olivia Fuchs solves the problems of Britten's thorny opera in a brilliant new production that hits the heights, featuring Mark Le Brocq as earthbound scholar, Gustav von Aschenbach.

*****

Musical performances keep WNO's new Così afloat

Mark Valencia, 6th March

Max Hoehn takes Così‘s subtitle, La scuola degli amanti (The School for Lovers), and connects it to Monty Python’s sex education sketch in The Meaning of Life. What larks, eh?

***11

Stacey Alleaume leads WNO's emotionally-charged Traviata

David Truslove, 24th November

Leading an international cast in a still-sumptuous revival in Southampton's Mayflower, Stacey Alleaume gives a sovereign performance as the ill-fated courtesan Violetta.

****1

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Rohan Shotton

Rohan has reviewed concerts and opera across the UK and Europe, but chiefly in Manchester, where he enjoys conducting and playing percussion and piano. He works as a hospital doctor, having studied in St Andrews and Manchester, and tweets as @RohanShotton.