Der Fliegende Hollander by Richard Wagner San Francisco Opera 12 October 1997 An opera that depends as much on storytelling as The Flying Dutchman needs somebody paying far more attention to the production than this SFO performance received. This was a dull, stand-and-deliver marathon of 2.5 hours without intermission -- and with very few highlights along the way. Consider this: James Morris, never a very animated presence on stage, looked positively lively next to the Senta of Jeanne-Michele Charbonnet. (Barbara asked me afterward: "Do you think she *can* move her arms?) Morris sang well, a strong powerful voice even in soft passages, but he seemed wooden, resigned to and not tormented by his curse. The sets and costumes were shades of gray on gray, sadly enough quite appropriate for the energy level this show generated. Franz Hawlata's Daland was the most animated of the cast, but his performance didn't seem to fit the character. He sang well, particularly in his duet with Morris. The orchestra under Michael Boder was adequate, though the violins in particular seemed overmatched to me in the early going.