Wagner conducted the premiere at the Semper Oper in Dresden in 1843. This work shows early attempts at operatic styles that would characterise his later music dramas. In Der fliegende Holländer, Wagner uses a number of leitmotifs (literally, "leading motifs") associated with the characters and themes. The leitmotifs are all introduced in the overture, which begins with a well-known ocean or storm motif before moving into the Dutchman and Senta motifs.
The story in itself is about the legendary Dutchman, meeting up with a Norwegian sailor named Daland. Still searching for a way to finish his curse and right about to be given the chance to temporarily set foot on a shore like every seven years to look for a prospect bride who can help him, he asks Daland if he has a marriageable daughter and if he would engage her to him; not knowing who he is, Daland says that he does and approves of the prospect wedding. Coincidentally, the guy's daughter is Senta, a beautiful but eccentric young woman who is already fascinated with the legend of the Dutchman; in her first appearance, before even meeting the Dutchman himself, she tells her nanny Mary and her friends that she wants to find and marry him, much to the women's fright and her ex boyfriend Eric's dismay. So the Dutchman manages to cut a deal with Daland about getting Senta engaged to him, unaware of what will take place soon. . .
The Flying Dutchman has the following tropes:
- Arranged Marriage -> Perfectly Arranged Marriage: Played with. The Dutchman and Daland reach an agreement about the first marrying the second's daughter in the first act, which can be seen as Daland pretty much selling her off without asking for her opinion upon seeing the Dutchman's riches. But once Senta and the Dutchman properly set their eyes on each other, it's Love at First Sight — specially from Senta's side.
- Betty and Veronica: Eric the Huntsman is the Betty and the Flying Dutchman is the Veronica to Senta's Archie. Subverted in that the Dutchman wants to settle down with Senta, which would move him into a more Betty-like position.
- Blasphemous Boast: The reason the Dutchman is cursed.
- Bittersweet Ending: Yeah, the Dutchman is finally redeemed like he has always wanted to, and he and Senta manage to stay together... but Senta achieves it via yanno, dying.
- Death Seeker: The Dutchman has driven his ship onto rocks, sailed into hurricanes, tempted pirates with his treasure, only seeking an end to his cursed existence, and all in vain.
- Despair Event Horizon: The Dutchman crosses this when he overhears Eric and Senta's talk, believing that Senta doesn't love him enough to break his curse and therefore he is doomed to wander through the seas again.
- Driven to Suicide: Senta throws herself off a cliff, swearing her eternal love to the Dutchman and intending to reunite herself with him. It works.
- Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: The Dutchman is a rare male example; his unnatural paleness is commented on more than once.
- Girl of My Dreams: Subverted: Eric claims that he saw the Dutchman aka his future love rival in his dreams.
- Hot-Blooded: Senta is very impulsive and passionate in her feelings and beliefs.
- It's Not You, It's Me: Upon revealing his identity, the Dutchman claims that he's doing to so to keep Senta away from the tragedy and damnation that fall over the women who don't stay faithful to him.'Dutchman: "For know, unhappy maid \\ what is the fate \\ awaiting those who break their vow to me: \\ eternal damnation is their lot! \\ Countless victims have suffered this sentence through me; but you shall escape."
- It's Probably Nothing: After the Helmsman falls asleep on watch, the Dutchman's ship enters the harbor and drops anchor with a tremendous crash in the orchestra, waking him up momentarily and leading him to make this comment. Daland chews him out for not noticing another ship right next to his.
- Love Redeems - I Can Change My Beloved: Senta believes in this, as she openly says that she will be able to break the Dutchman's curse.
- Loving a Shadow: What Mary and the girls say about Senta and her massive crush on the Dutchman.Girls: "Hey, hey! Hey hey! What do we hear? She's sighing for that pallid man!"Mary: "She's losing her head over him!"
- Mistaken for Cheating: Played for massive drama.
- Mister Exposition: Both the Dutchman and Senta explain the male lead's Dark and Troubled Past.
- Nightmare Fetishist: When Eric warns Senta about the Dutchman and how he'll carry her into the sea, Senta is thrilled. Not only that, but she creeps the fuck outta the local girls while cheerfully explaining the Dutchman's legend to them.
- Sacred Hospitality: Alluded to by Daland:Dutchman: "Far have I come: in storm and tempest // would you deny me anchorage?"Daland: "God forbid! Sailors know the need for hospitality."
- Stab the Picture: When Senta is sighing over the Dutchman's portrait, the girls tease her that her suitor Eric will shoot the picture off the wall.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Defied by Senta, who refuses to let anything get in between herself and the man she loves.
- Talk Like a Pirate: They're not pirates, but there's plenty of "johoho" among the sailors in the chorus.
- Thinks Like a Romance Novel: Several of Senta's trains of thought sound very like stuff taken from straight-up romantic novels.
- Textile Work Is Feminine: Senta is introduced as the other girls of the village and Team Mom Mary are working in their spinning wheels... and she's the only one who is slacking off.
- Together in Death: Senta's undying love releases the Dutchman from the curse. Then his and Senta's souls ascend to Heaven together.
- Trope Codifier: Of both the Flying Dutchman and Leitmotif
- Undeath Always Ends: Not only do the Dutchman and Senta ascend to a higher plane of existence, but the ghost sailors are also redeemed and disappear.
- The Unseen: The Dutchman's crew are never seen, only heard.
- Vicarious Gold Digger: Daland agrees to a marriage between his daughter Senta and the Dutchman without even knowing the latter's name and pushes Senta to accept it too simply because the Dutchman is incredibly rich. Fortunately, Senta is already madly in Love Before First Sight with the Dutchman.
- Was It All a Lie?: Dutchman's rant when he's about to leave Senta, believing that she has betrayed him. It's followed by him taking off... and by Senta proving him wrong.
- Who Wants to Live Forever?: Part of the Dutchman's curse, rendering him unable to die, sailing the oceans for all eternity, and only able to put to port once every seven years to try and seek redemption.
