When he tried to sail around a cape, the Dutch captain committed blasphemy and was condemned, along with his crew, to wander the seven seas forever. Only the love of a woman can save him. In order to find this faithful soul, the Dutchman is allowed to go ashore every seven years, but so far his search has been unsuccessful. In the love of Senta, daughter of the Norwegian merchant Daland, the cursed man finally finds the long-awaited salvation.

With The Flying Dutchman, the then 29-year-old Richard Wagner developed themes that would continue to occupy him for decades to come. The focus of the plot is the redemption of a social misfit through the self-sacrifice of a loving wife. With the score, Richard Wagner steered towards the future form of musical drama and, with the help of the music, shifted the action from the outer drama to the inner states of mind of the characters.