Wagner’s Siegfried: Der Ring des Nibelungen, Regents Opera, Grand Temple, Freemasons’ Hall, London WC2.4✩✩✩✩ Review: Clare Colvin

Wagner’s Siegfried: Der Ring des Nibelungen, Regents Opera, Grand Temple, Freemasons’ Hall, London WC2.

4✩✩✩✩ Review: Clare Colvin

“Raw energy to Wagner’s third Ring Cycle opera Siegfried.”

The novelty of Regents Opera’s stripped back production of Wagner’s third Ring Cycle opera Siegfried being performed in the mysteriously hierarchic Grand Temple of the Freemasons’ Hall in a far corner of Covent Garden is exciting in itself. In such an original and spacious venue, every image makes a raw and emphatic mark.

Here we have a Siegfried, in the young heldentenor Peter Furlong who combines a ringing voice with a manner reminiscent of a political bully boy in a china shop, as he explodes on to the narrow stage of the Nibeling dwarf Mime’s hut in a burst of teenage resentment. Former mezzo, now tenor, Holden Madagame’s Mime is foster parent to the young hero whose father Siegmund was killed in battle and mother Sieglinde died in childbirth, though Mime has received only abuse for his care in bringing up baby. Siegfried is destined to free Brunnhilde from the fiery rock on which she was imprisoned by her father Wotan, King of the Gods, (Ralf Lukas). But the boy has a long process of maturity to go through first, including slaying the dragon Fafner that guards the Rhine gold.

Ben Woodward Artistic Director of Regents Opera, who has the formidable task of conducting the entire Ring Cycle twice next November at Freemasons’ Hall, admits to a special liking for Siegfried as being an intimate series of duets delving deep into the characters. This is especially true of the encounter with Fafner the dragon who comes on breathing fire - a series of videos burn flames along the narrow central stage in the hall. Craig Lemont Walters brings a reptilian touch to Fafner and the hoard of Rhinegold is replicated by Fafner’s gold lamé suit, which is discarded for a simple cotton robe before Siegfried plunges in the sword Nothung.

Ralf Lukas is a fine Wanderer, taking on the role after the sad death of Keel Watson, to whose memory this production is dedicated, and Oliver Gibbs makes an Alberich that mirrors The Wanderer. Corinne Hart is a sweet Woodbird in neat frock and court shoes. The final scenes are beautifully defined in the growing love between Siegfried and Catharine Woodward’s gloriously classic Brünnhilde. Caroline Staunton directs with a light touch. The final sight is of floating white veils and sporting bridal couple with Siegfried in leg-over situation. Conducting throughout is superb. Make sure of following the entire Ring Cycle when it returns to Freemasons’ Hall next November.

Conductor Ben Woodward

Director Caroline Staunton

Assistant Director Keiko Sumida

Designer Isabella van Braeckel

Producer Sarah Heenan

Production Manager Adam Smith

Stage Manager Amy Moore

Lighting Patrick Malmström

Assistant Conductors Jack Stone Tammas Slater Jonathan Finney Robin Whitehouse

Production pictures Steve Gregson Photography