SYDNEY FESTIVAL: SIEGFRIED AND ROY-THE UNAUTHORISED OPERA

Above: Christopher Tonkin as Siegfried and Kanen Breen as Roy. Photo credit: Neil Bennett. Featured image: Jacquie Manning.

Opera is a special storytelling option with which to bring us a larger than life biopic. Receiving its world premiere at the 2025 Sydney Festival, Siegfried and Roy-The Unauthorised Opera is nicely housed at Wharf Theatre 1 with cabaret table plus raked theatre seating.

This tale of rags-to-riches celebrity magicians has plenty of effects and successful features stowed up its sleeves.

Set design in this layout has a cruise ship feel to mirror the location where the Vegas stars first met. Lighting and a climactic countertenor fantasy beast (realised to great contrast effect by Russell Harcourt)  sit well in this venue and keep the illusions and element of  colour plus surprise strong.

A fine and fine-voiced ensemble shows flexibility in switching characters to flesh out the story. This is a queer love story between two boys from Bavaria turned Vegas superstars.

This love story can now be catapulted from the somewhat secretive twentieth century to now, given an elevated opera voice, fully explored emotional nuance and some killer sung dialogue as well as arias or duets.

The celebrity pair, with live tiger in their magic show were well known for their high camp costuming and hyper-masculine physicality. This is presented on convincing crescendo so the tragic final chapter in Vegas unfolds against a glittering backdrop.

Operatic rather than musical theatre tone for the through-composed score with little spoken word is a challenging tone to follow but it is one which convinces us, putting exchanges up in the realm of cultivated, accomplished vocals.

Above: Mantacore takes the stage. Photo credit: Neil Bennett.

Portrayal of modern characters and stories in opera requires solid, believable acting. Excellence in this regard was consistently displayed for us by Christopher Tonkin (Siegfried) and Kanen Breen (Roy).

This pair’s portrayal of the celebrity couple is a vocal and dramatic triumph. No disappearing act here, as the characterisations are as constantly believable in the fleshing out as they are brilliantly sung.

Mantacore, the tiger that the act relies upon is presented in high level, layered puppetry. This element alone is a delightful surprise to follow, another believable thread of theatre and performance element which make this opera-show pure magic.

The story as told here is well researched, spending a lot of time in the early days of the couple’s relationship and career. This strengthens the denouement effect and allows for well placed comic timing from ensemble cast plus the Tonkin/Breen powerhouse before the glitzy hectic pace and musical numbers of the Vegas days.

The climax and depiction of any superstar coping with the other side of fame with some effective stand-off confrontation placement is operatic and biopic gold. As the Sydney Festival states, this is a new opera for us all to ‘sink our teeth into’.

Don’t miss this important new morsel of theatre, opera and humanity told in all its truth bedazzled with true talent and tragi-comic brilliance.

 

 

 

 

 

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