Pittsburgh Opera Opens ‘The Flying Dutchman’ at Benedum; Stage AE Hosts Tech N9ne (Sat., 11/11/23)

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (opera) by Richard Wagner. Pittsburgh Opera. November 11, 14, 17 & 19.

Pittsburgh Opera’s ‘The Flying Dutchman’ is a haunting love story with a dramatic score from Wagner. (Photo: David Bachman Photography for Pittsburgh Opera )

1) One of the more bizarre legends upon which to write an opera, the tale of The Flying Dutchman is as old as the Nordic Seas. A daring ship captain, upon swearing an oath to the Devil, is forever banished to sail the seven seas, except that once in every seven years he may go ashore to find a bride. If he is so fortunate, and if his bride remains faithful to him until her dying day, the two will earn everlasting peace in the heavenly skies above. And so, the ghostly captain and his invisible crew, during a terrific tempest, grapple onto another ship, commanded by Captain Daland, who just so happens to have a young and virtuous daughter. Of course, that daughter, Senta, already has an interested beau who is not a sailor, but a fine huntsman. Yet, Senta, like every Norwegian fixated on the sea, knows well the woeful doom of The Flying Dutchman. Pittsburgh Opera stages this Wagner classic for the first time in more than 20 years. Benedum Center, 237 7th St.,  Cultural District. (C.P.O.)

2) It’s the Hollywood & N9ne Tour—a pun on L.A.’s Hollywood and Vine district, and a mad musical journey in which the high-velocity rapper and Strange Music cofounder Tech N9ne teams up with rap rockers Hollywood Undead. Tech N9ne is a rapper’s rapper, a virtuoso with mucho albums on his rap sheet and singles in subgenres from hardcore horrorcore (“Am I a Psycho?”) to NFL fanboy (“Red Kingdom,” in honor of his hometown Kansas City Chiefs). Hollywood Undead has titled some previous albums after literary classics (American Tragedy, Notes from the Underground); their latest is last year’s Hotel Kalifornia. Between Tech N9ne and the Undead, expect eloquent profanity, maybe a little misogyny, and a diversity of beats. Catch them at Stage AE along with King Iso and Jay Villain. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (M.V.) 

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