Fulham Opera’s Siegfried: Personal thoughts

A great deal of very informed reviewers, and well, normal people who quite frankly know much more than I on the topic of Wagner, Opera, work, money and amount of people required to set up a Wagnerian opera; have stated that Fulham Opera’s Der Ring des Nibelungen is “audacious”, “big hearted” and “heroic”. I’m afraid they have rather badly understated this dauntless challenge. They have badly understated the manner in which Fulham Opera had brought this small part of this Epic Saga to their most glorious audience. 

To compare Fulham Opera to that of the Homeric Epics; Naked Odysseus approaching the fair maiden Nausicaa like a lion armed only with a moderately small  branch to conceal his manhood. For that is Fulham Opera, the bravery needed to put such an opera on with such new and ambitious aims in itself can often lead to negativity; example being the almost annual artistic controversy of Bayreuth. I do not believe that a Wagnerian Opera has ever been performed to an audience with a single piano, a french horn and a flute. When I had heard of this setup and saw the positive reviews I was intrigued to see how this could possibly work. Wagner is renown for having some of the largest orchestras. How could three individuals pull off a role which is for such a large orchestra?

Then I decided to go and find out for myself. The acoustics of the church hall certainly provided everything which was necessary to spread the Wagnerian tonality to the extent of consuming my very soul. The most impressive example of the hall acoustics was for me the calls of the Woodbird, It certainly felt that the sound was traveling through us across the Germanic Forest and back to hit us a second time, never had “sound wave” been such a relevant term to the experience which had bequeathed those fortunate enough to attend on Tuesday.

With the performance of Fulham Opera’s Siegfried it has killed the once famous reputation of Wagnerian Operas having physically repulsive beings to represent those who are supposed to be “Über-Attractive”. Never has this been more true than for the title role of Siegfried. The Royal Opera Performance which I went to in 2012 featured Stefan Vinke who physically is not an ideal Siegfried, I myself believed him to look somewhat like a 13^th century tavern keeper with his ample “beer-Belly”. This certainly can’t be said for Phillip Modinos a man who is so fitting for the title role of Siegfried, seemed like one of the very few operatic singers who is capable of pulling of the action which is required as part of the epic battle between Siegfried and Fafnir, so often in this opera do you see a pompously obese man waving a sword around like child playing with a kite, finally at last we have seen a Siegfried which looks believable holding a sword. To conclude Phillip Modinos was certainly deserving of all the “Bravo’s” which were bestowed towards him on that fine evening.  Though the whole cast is noticeable for their excellent performance.

Now I wish to speak on the negative parts of the production. That was the costume of Erda and the prop’s of the Ring and the ghastly Tarnhelm.  I question how Rhonda Browne was able to give one of the greatest and emotional performances of the night, which was rewarded with many “bravo’s”, looking like the Vicar of Dibley on a drunken toga themed Hen Night. That abysmal costume combined with the all-powerful Ring (which looked like it came from a fairy princess costume set) killed a very small part of me. Then I saw the Tarnhelm… A Beige Baseball cap with strange shiny balls placed onto it. Whoever was responsible for that idea needs to walk into his/her glass door at some speed multiple times, that is not a Helmet of any sort let alone the Tarnhelm, the helmet which has the power to turn one into a Dragon. Siegfried is a part of the “RING CYCLE” therefore there needs to be a ring worth fighting for. The All-powerful ring which was featured did not look like it had the power to rule the World, but rather possess the power to maybe rule my neighbours tree house.  

To conclude Fulham Opera did a fantastic performance of Siegfried which was worth my ticket price. The costume was generally good, I certainly enjoyed the Amish theme and that of Wotan's Eye, the work done by the cast, Ben Woodard and those two people on the instruments were fantastic. For goodness sake get yourselves a proper Ring and Tarnhelm. Opera is all about the spectacle, the pizzazz. When I go to an Opera I want to be taken out of this sluggish and extremely dull world and be transported into a new one. This performance of Siegfried did that up until after Fafner is slain and Siegfried is carrying these shattering excuses of the Ring and the Tarnhelm.