Of the various possible ways of conducting Wagner's Flying
Dutchman, ENO's Edward Gardner took the direct approach. From
the first tremolo string notes, the orchestra launched into the
main leitmotif at full tilt, followed by the sound of stormy
seas swirling more furiously than you've ever heard them,
leaving the audience breathless. It may not be the most refined
and precise rendering of Wagner's music you'll ever hear, but it
will certainly be one of the most exciting and muscular.  It was
a magnificent opening, leaving Gardner with the slight problem
of where to go next, given that it wasn't really possible to
ratchet up the intensity level any further. None the less, it
was a thoroughly enjoyable performance musically. As well as the
main bulk of atmospheric music in Wagner's brass-laden signature
style, the score contains a fair amount of pastiche material -
folk dances, sailor's ballads and so on - into which Gardner did
a particularly good job of breathing life. Overall, his tempi
must have been fast,