At least he has many more years to return with a stronger roster, given his access to the fountain of youth.
MUSIC
Simone Young Directs Siegfried
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Sydney Opera House, 13 November
Reviewed by PETER McCALLUM
★★★★★
After smashing a sword, slaying a dragon and climbing a fire-covered mountain, fighting a grueling battle against 100 musicians for 5.5 hours, Simon O’Neill as Siegfried quietly rose to the E peak, the orchestra now silent, telling us that Siegfried had finally learned the meaning of fear.
You wouldn’t guess it from his pure pitch and tone, which is as bright as in the great tattoo song he sings in Act 1, where he embellishes with smooth power and musical form the necessary vivacity required by solid, folk-like lines.
Warwick Fyfe’s voice as Alberich seems to thrive on essential ferocity and dignity.Credit: Daniel Boud
This was a performance of surprising stamina and commanding maturity that tempered power with lyricism, but that wasn’t all, as the remaining half-hour with Miina-Liisa Varela as Brunnhilde would show.
Varela’s awakening lines, over unforgettably calm, simple chords that Wagner had written after such frenetic chromaticism, glowed with dazzling warmth and retained that shine throughout every moment of the duet that followed. With intertwined expressions of impassioned enthusiasm, he and O’Neill delivered a magnificent performance of Simone Young’s third movement and the SSO’s quadrennial concert presentation of Wagner. Ring cycle towards an extremely strong close.
The quality of the singers Young has assembled has been an outstanding feature of the cycle to date and Siegfried He continued this with a cast that blended experience and freshness. Gerhard Siegel, as the mime, created a mercurial gem out of the character’s sometimes tiresome moods, deftly polishing the edge of his voice towards malevolence, comedy, anger or flattering flattery as required.
Conductor Simone Young’s experience with Wagner was clear from the opening beginning. Credit: Daniel Boud
As the world-weary Traveler (Wotan), Wolfgang Koch created a noble tone in Act 1, an inscrutable control in his fight with the dwarf Alberich in Act 2, and a fiercely passionate dominance in the two big farewell scenes in Act 3.
Warwick Fyfe’s voice as Alberich seems to grow in essential ferocity and dignity each time he appears in the role, and aided by some wonderfully dark, polished textures from the SSO brass, he and Koch create a compelling confrontation.
Wotan’s scene with Erda embraces resignation rather than confrontation, and Noa Beinart sang the role with sculptural reserve and a veiled tone of unspoken mystery. If there really was an earth goddess, she would be asked to sing like this.
Loading
As the sleeping dragon Fafner, Teddy Tahu Rhodes created huge echoes from the back of the stage and neutralized directness from the front after he was killed. Samantha Clarke sang the part of Woodbird, the voice of nature that drives the naive Siegfried, with a richly colored silky voice, unlike the bell-like quality often used in this episode.
Young’s other big victory Ring The presentations are to hear the orchestral section full on stage, imbued with all the expertise, polish and care of the SSO under the direction of concertmaster Andrew Haveron. Horn player David Evans delivered Siegfried’s dragon wake-up call from the soaring organ chamber with colorful velvety overlay, creating multi-shaded timbral complexity throughout the wind and woodwinds with moments of dazzling brilliance and fleeting brilliance.
The violas and lower strings brought equal tonal depth to the important role Wagner gave these instruments in the opera’s darker textures, and the violins were both brilliantly energized in the climaxes and admirably disciplined in the quieter passages.
Offstage, percussionists contributed to piercing anvil sounds and ominous and booming timpani sounds.
Young’s experience with this work was clear from the opening beginning, as he masterfully maintained continuity and flow, while adjusting the tempo to bring out tension and affecting moments. These Ring the performances were among the best I have heard at the Opera House in its history.
MUSIC
Addison Rae
Enmore Theatre, 17 November
Reviewed by NADIA RUSSELL
★★★★
Judging by the reception to the first of her two shows in Sydney, it’s clear that Addison Rae is well on her way from TikTok star to pop princess.
It’s a tough transition, and he’s far from the first social media star to try to break into the mainstream — many have stumbled — but this viral TikTok dancer and former Hype House member with millions of followers has the talent and charm to burn.
It was not a smooth transition. She tried acting, reality TV, makeup and clothing, but her early music didn’t resonate. But last year’s hit single Diet Pepsi broke it and followed it up with the album Addison earlier this year. Now she’s nominated for a Grammy (best new artist), and her debut tour has created stunning choreography and plenty of viral moments.
Addison Rae is on her way to breaking into the mainstream. Credit: Gabrielle Clement
Rae’s silhouette appears for the opening Fame is a Weapon The headset mic doesn’t immediately evoke Britney Spears, which is reinforced by the second track Bad I Got Itactually containing elements of Spears. …Baby One More Time. Dressed in skimpy black lingerie and a newspaper cap atop her ponytail, Rae momentarily appeared to channel Spears perfectly, but she did so without compromising her own artistry and performance.
Rae may have made her mark as a singer, but here she shows off her talents as a dancer; His vocals remain in the background, especially in energetic numbers.
at the beginning Summer Forever his voice trembles at high pitches and Headphones On It is weak at times. But there are also strong vocal moments.
When Rae closes the show Diet PepsiThe scene is entirely his. Wearing a long-tailed white tutu, she knows how to own the scene without all that polish, and it would be nice to see more of that. But one thing’s for sure: Rae knows how to look it up and keep them there, whether it’s on screen or stage.
