Welsh National Opera - Flying Dutchman and Blaze of Glory

Welsh National Opera’s return to Milton Keynes Theatre formed part of the company’s landmark 80th anniversary season, bringing together two productions that celebrated both the scale of grand opera and the warmth of Welsh musical storytelling.

Across two very different performances, audiences were treated to the stormy emotional power of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman and the uplifting community spirit of Blaze of Glory! Together, the productions reflected the company’s continuing commitment to combining world-class opera with stories rooted deeply in Welsh identity and culture.

The Flying Dutchman

WNO’s new production of The Flying Dutchman delivered a gripping and emotionally charged interpretation of Wagner’s haunting masterpiece. Director Jack Furness stripped the production back to its emotional core, allowing the music and performances to dominate the stage with remarkable intensity. Inspired by the Welsh coastline, the sleek and understated design created a bleak yet beautiful world that perfectly suited the opera’s themes of loneliness, obsession and redemption.

From the first crashing moments of the overture, the WNO Orchestra under the baton of Tomáš Hanus captured the restless force of the sea with tremendous energy and precision. Wagner’s score felt immense throughout, but there were also moments of striking delicacy that allowed the emotional vulnerability of the characters to shine through.

Simon Bailey brought commanding presence to the role of the cursed Dutchman, combining power and weariness in equal measure. Opposite him, Emma Bell was exceptional as Senta, delivering a performance filled with conviction and dramatic intensity. Her soaring vocals carried enormous emotional weight, particularly in the opera’s most climactic moments.

The supporting cast also impressed throughout. Leonardo Caimi gave Erik a strong emotional presence, while Trystan Llŷr Griffiths added warmth and clarity as The Steersman. The chorus, as always with WNO, sounded magnificent, filling the theatre with rich, powerful harmonies that added tremendous scale to the production.

Rather than relying on elaborate spectacle, this production focused firmly on human emotion and psychological drama. The result was a compelling and often mesmerising evening of opera that demonstrated exactly why The Flying Dutchman remains one of Wagner’s most enduring works.

Blaze of Glory!

If The Flying Dutchman showcased WNO’s dramatic grandeur, Blaze of Glory! revealed the company’s heart. This warm, funny and deeply moving production celebrated Welsh community spirit through the story of a group of miners rebuilding their male voice choir following tragedy.

Written by David Hackbridge Johnson with a libretto by Emma Jenkins, the show combined traditional Welsh choral music with touches of gospel, operetta, big band and 1950s-inspired harmony to create something both nostalgic and fresh. Under the direction of Caroline Clegg, the production balanced humour and emotion beautifully, never allowing sentimentality to overpower the sincerity at its core.

The performances were full of warmth and personality. Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts was outstanding as chorus master Dafydd Pugh, bringing both authority and vulnerability to the role. Rebecca Evans added emotional depth as Nerys Price, while Mark Llewelyn Evans delivered plenty of charm and humour as Caradog Probert.

Musically, the production was hugely uplifting. The choral sequences were the undeniable highlight, filling Milton Keynes Theatre with rich harmonies and an unmistakable sense of pride and togetherness. The audience response reflected that warmth throughout, with many moments generating genuine laughter alongside quieter scenes of reflection and loss.

Blaze of Glory! felt especially fitting as part of WNO’s anniversary celebrations because it reflected the company’s own origins, founded by ordinary people united through a shared passion for music. The production served as both an entertaining evening of musical theatre and a heartfelt tribute to Welsh culture, resilience and community spirit.