As I have remarked elsewhere on LT, film (righty handled) may well be the salvation of opera in our time. Wagner's unquestioned first masterpiece is visually stunning and dramatically convincing in this production at a Finnsih castle. The singing is better than fine, particularly the many choral bits. Franz Grundheber's Dutchman is energetic and moving, while the incomparable Hildgard Behrens is, well, Hildegard Behrens. It is, not suprisingly, a little difficult to take seriously the idea that she is the youthful Senta, but putting her mature appearance aside, this DVD is an important document as it captures her art shortly before her death. ( )