Wagner's Siegfried

PRESENTING SPONSOR

A SEMI-STAGED OPERA

WAGNER’S

SIEGFRIED S I N G A P O R E

P R E M I E R E

PRESENTED BY KARIM FAMILY FOUNDATION

5 SEPTEMBER 2026 ESPLANADE CONCERT HALL

CREATIVE TEAM CONDUCTOR Lü Shao-Chia

PROPS DESIGNER AND MAKER Beverly Liang

DIRECTOR Tan Shou Chen

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Tennie Su

STAGE MANAGER Mirabel Neo

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Seow Yibin

SET DESIGNER TK Hay

ASSISTANT AND REPETITEUR Ansi Verwey

LIGHTING DESIGNER Gabriel Chan

REHEARSAL PIANIST Beatrice Lin

COSTUME DESIGNER Max Tan

PRODUCTION TEAM PRODUCER Michael Huang CO-PRODUCER Christopher Cheong ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Isaac Tah FINANCIAL CONTROLLER Edward Neo SURTITLE PREPARATION Michael Huang SURTITLE OPERATOR Shridar Mani KEY ART A. Lak GRAPHIC DESIGN Chan Chen ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Wu Tianhao PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Choo Vee Shen Li Zhihan Tobias Tan Isabel Tay Yuan Yi Zhao Cunyu

FIRESIDE CHAT Shridar Mani Richard Wagner Association (Singapore)

Samuel Tan Sherie Tan Isabel Tay Josiah Teo

OUTREACH EVENT Rachael Chan Choo Vee Shen Calvin Dai Edward Neo Isaac Tah Tobias Tan The Finger Players

PROGRAMME BOOKLET Chan Chen Michael Huang Elizabeth Ip Isaac Tah Joshua Tan Choo Vee Shen

AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING msm-productions (Singapore) Pte Ltd LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS Chang Ziyi Christopher Cheong Damien Chew Choo Vee Shen Calvin Dai Skyler Goh David Gong Kuah Ying Ching Lee Zi Xuan Charis Low Keith Ong Pan Jiaying Alex Shen Isaac Tah Joshua Tan Naomi Tan Oliver Tan

Special thanks to Opera North (UK)

WAGNER’S

SIEGFRIED S I N G A P O R E

P R E M I E R E

SAT, 5 SEP 2026, 4PM ESPLANADE CONCERT HALL ORCHESTRA OF THE MUSIC MAKERS Lü Shao-Chia CONDUCTOR Tan Shou Chen DIRECTOR

SIEGFRIED

Vincent Wolfsteiner MIME

Dan Karlström WANDERER

Michael Volle ALBERICH

Joachim Goltz FAFNER

Lukasz Konieczny WOODBIRD

Victoria Songwei Li ERDA

Anna Harvey BRÜNNHILDE

Stéphanie Müther

RICHARD WAG N ER – SI EG FRI ED ACT 1 [90’] FIRST INTERMISSION [20’] ACT 2 [80’] SECOND INTERMISSION [80’] ACT 3 [90’] Performed in German with English surtitles

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ORCHESTRA OF THE MUSIC MAKERS “WE ARE TH E M USIC MAKERS, AND WE ARE TH E DREAM ERS OF DREAMS.” — A R T H U R O ’ S H A U G H N E S S Y, “ O D E ”

WEBSITE: WWW.ORCHESTRA.SG FACEBOOK: @ORCHMUSICMAKERS INSTAGRAM: @OMM.SG TIKTOK: @OMM.SG

The Orchestra of the Music Makers (OMM) is a Singapore-based symphony orchestra founded in 2008, bringing together over 140 highly-trained volunteer musicians united by a passion for musical excellence and community outreach.

Under the mentorship of Chan Tze Law, Singaporean conductor and ViceDean of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, OMM has established itself as a leading force in Singapore’s classical music scene, gaining international recognition for high quality performances, including critically acclaimed Singapore premieres of Bernstein’s Mass, and Wagner’s Das

Rheingold and Die Walküre.

OMM’s artistic achievements have been recognised with the HSBC Youth Excellence Award for Musical Excellence, as well as multiple The Straits Times Best Classical Concert of the Year and Best Classical Album of the Year accolades. The orchestra has also performed at festivals and events in the UK, Taiwan and Australia, and its recordings have reached audiences internationally including at the Dubai World Expo 2020 and Singapore Airlines Krisworld entertainment system.

Beyond the concert stage, OMM is committed to developing the next generation of musicians and engaging the wider community through initiatives such as playwithOMM and its Orchestra Camp.

Highlights of OMM’s 2026-27 season include collaborations with acclaimed artists Alexandre Bloch, Qin Li-Wei, Lü Shao-Chia, and Leonard Slatkin.

Orchestra of the Music Makers Ltd is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028.

OMM performing Die Walküre in January 2020 Photo: Yong Junyi

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DIRECTOR’S NOTE I have always been drawn to the epic form.

An “epic” is a long narrative poem, novel, or work that focuses on the heroic deeds of legendary figures. The most famous epics have been passed down verbally for centuries before being written down. As we hand over stories, we learn who we are, why we exist, and who we hope to be. The epic is thus a form that transcends space and time. It holds the psychology of who we are, our psyche.

What makes Siegfried a special epic is that it traces the becoming of a hero.

Siegfried is a man-child whose interregnum moment is the learning of fear.

In this staging, I have found the birth of the psyche. The mind is a beautiful enigma composed of material and ephemeral. The orchestra is the central grey matter, forming the substrate of all that will happen and be perceived.

Out of it fire neurons — sparks of light, creating being and doing. The maestro’s baton conducts a resonance.

In praise of Wagner’s music, Swiss psychologist Carl Jung has referred to it as speaking to our ”collective unconscious”, a universal experience that evokes memories ingrained in all that makes us human.

Wagner’s music is highly symbolic. In the meticulous musical physics that he uses to weave the world of Siegfried, we can find the full meaning of the word “psyche” — mind, body, soul. If you wish, like me, you can find inspiration in the basic Jungian Archetypes, those universal, primordial predispositions that organise, direct, and inform human thought and behavior.

But the human experience is much more complex than the Archetypes might suggest. Chaos is needed to give life, and try as it might, the human desire to bring order and function will eventually tire out. This is where I have met the limits of staging Wagner with Jung. But this is where you, our audience, can play your part. What do you hear? What do you see? If you listen with your psyche, what are the stories that resonate?

T h e Ju n gi a n A rch e t y pes Carl Jung started with these five basic Archetypes, theorising them as universal patterns of thought: The Self: The unifying archetype representing the totality and balance of the conscious and unconscious mind.

The Persona: The mask or image we present to the world to adapt to society.

The Shadow: The repressed, darker, or unknown aspects of the psyche that we often hide or deny.

The Anima and the Animus: The unconscious feminine aspects within the male psyche (Anima), and the masculine aspects within the female psyche (Animus).

Papadopoulos, Renos (Ed.). (2006). The Handbook of Jungian Psychology. Routledge.

It is hard to imagine, but the stories we tell today may well be passed down for centuries to come. I invite you, as you listen to the music, to find the epics that you hold in your psyche, and to discover those which you need to pass down.

Tan Shou Chen

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synopsis DRAMATIS PERSONAE | C A ST OF CH ARACTERS MIME (TENOR) A scheming Nibelung dwarf and metalsmith. Alberich’s brother.

SIEGFRIED (TENOR) A fearless young man, raised in isolation by Mime. Son of the fallen Wälsungs, Siegmund and Sieglinde.

THE WANDERER (BASS-BARITONE) Alias of Wotan, king of the gods, now roaming the earth disguised as a cloaked Wanderer.

ALBERICH (BASS-BARITONE) Mime’s bitter brother, the original thief who had forged the ring out of magical Rhinegold and placed the deadly curse upon it.

FAFNER (BASS) A former giant, now transformed into a dragon.

BRÜNNHILDE (SOPRANO) A former Valkyrie, stripped of her godhood by her father Wotan and left asleep on a mountain top encircled by magic fire.

ERDA (CONTRALTO) The ancient earth goddess of wisdom and prophecy, with whom Wotan bore Brünnhilde and seven other Valkyries.

THE WOODBIRD (SOPRANO) A mystical forest bird.

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SYNOPSIS

THE STORY SO FAR D A S R HE I NG O LD The dwarf Alberich renounces love to steal the Rhinegold and forges a powerful ring from it. Wotan, king of the gods, steals the ring from Alberich in order to pay the giants, Fasolt and Fafner, for building the gods’ new home, Valhalla. In his hatred, Alberich curses the ring to bring death and betrayal to whoever possesses it.

As Wotan hands over the ring to the giants, the curse takes immediate effect: Fafner kills his brother Fasolt for the ring, then uses the Tarnhelm (a magic helmet) to transform into a dragon, jealously guarding the ring and his hoard in a faraway cave.

DIE WALKÜRE Wotan is anxious to retrieve the ring; he knows that Alberich is also plotting to win it back. But bound by his treaties, Wotan cannot take it directly, and needs a hero to act of their own free will. To this end, Wotan fathers mortal twin siblings, Siegmund and Sieglinde. Separated at birth, the Wälsung twins reunite as adults and fall in love.

Affronted by their incest, Wotan’s wife, Fricka (the goddess of marriage), demands the twins be punished. Bound by honour, Wotan orders his favourite Valkyrie daughter, Brünnhilde, to ensure Siegmund’s death in combat.

But Brünnhilde, out of sympathy for the lovers, defies her father and protects Siegmund. Wotan is forced to intervene directly, shattering Siegmund’s magic sword (Nothung) and allowing him to be killed.

With Siegmund dead, Brünnhilde flees with the pregnant Sieglinde. She sends Sieglinde into the forest near Fafner’s cave, along with the shattered pieces of Nothung. There, Sieglinde will die in childbirth, survived by the son she bore with Siegmund: Siegfried.

For her disobedience, Wotan strips Brünnhilde of her godhood and puts her into a deep sleep on a mountaintop, surrounding her with a wall of magic fire that can only be breached by a hero who knows no fear…

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ac t 1 MIME’S HUT

Nearly twenty years have passed since the events of Die Walküre. In a hut by the great river Rhine, Mime the dwarf raises Siegfried as his foster son. Once an infant, Siegfried has grown into a headstrong young man.

Mime spends his days trying to forge an invincible sword; he hopes that Siegfried can kill the dragon Fafner so that Mime can claim its hoard (and the all-powerful ring) for himself.

3. LO N G I N G

ACT 1 S C E NE 1 1

In his hut, Mime is hard at work, cursing and swearing as he hammers away at his newest sword.

At the height of Mime’s exasperation, Siegfried bursts into the hut 2 with a wild bear to terrorise Mime. Siegfried ridicules his foster father for being unable to forge a working sword. To prove his point, Siegfried shatters Mime’s latest sword, sending the dwarf into a rage.

Introduced by the celli, this motif represents Siegfried’s longing for his parents and his desire to know who they are.

4. F R E E D OM

Furious, Mime reproaches Siegfried for his ingratitude. In the quarrel that ensues, the naïve Siegfried finally realises that he cannot be the dwarf’s real son — they look nothing alike. He demands to know 3 about his parents.

Sung by a joyous Siegfried, this motif represents his joy at finally being free from Mime.

Mime reveals how he sheltered the pregnant Sieglinde, and how she died while giving birth to Siegfried. Mime confesses that he does not know Siegfried’s father, but he shows him the broken shards of his sword Nothung.

5. T h e T w o A s p e c t s o f W o ta n

Siegfried orders Mime to reforge the sword so that he can finally 4 leave with it and explore the world. Siegfried demands to have it done before he returns, and storms back out into the forest.

Two separate leitmotifs depict different aspects of Wotan’s character.

T h e Wa n d e r e r This broad, noble motif represents the Wanderer’s character, typically played by the brasses.

1. N I B E L U N G Wagner represents the labour of the dwarf with this motif. Strikingly, when Mime appears we hear the rhythm played by literal anvils — the same anvils heard in the depths of Nibelheim in the first drama, Das Rheingold.

2. SIEGFRIED’S HORN CALL We hear him before we see him! Before he appears in the hut to terrorise Mime, the strings play this motif to signal his eventual arrival. The full motif appears in Act 2, where he wakes Fafner up with his horn call.

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The SPEAR This powerful, descending line on the other hand evokes Wotan’s authority, honour, and treaties, symbolised by his spear.

6. SI EGF R I E D’S S WO R D F O RGI N G These two motifs accompany Siegfried as he forges Nothung. Once again, Wagner integrates the stage action with the music — Siegfried’s hammer blows land on the strong beats of the theme.

SYNOPSIS: ACT 1

ACT 1 SCENE 2

ACT 1 SCEN E 3

Mime is in despair. He knows it is beyond his skill to reforge the sword. A Wanderer 5 enters, seeking rest, but Mime turns him away. This stranger — actually Wotan in disguise — insists on staying and challenges Mime to a battle of wits.

Siegfried returns from the forest. As he berates Mime for failing to repair Nothung, Mime realises the headstrong Siegfried never learnt fear as a child. Confident that a visit to Fafner the dragon will teach him, Mime slyly encourages Siegfried to seek out the beast. He tells Siegfried that only by learning fear will he be free to explore the world. Eager to face the dragon, Siegfried pushes Mime aside and begins forging the sword himself.6

The two play a game of riddles; the loser is to forfeit his life. Mime asks the Wanderer three questions, which he easily answers. The Wanderer then asks Mime his own three questions. Mime answers the first two confidently but falters at the last: “who will reforge Nothung from its broken pieces?”

The Wanderer reveals the correct answer: “he who knows no fear”. The Wanderer then issues a prophecy: this same hero will also be the one to claim Mime’s life. With this, the Wanderer turns and leaves, while a stunned Mime ponders on his prophecy.

Mime now faces an agonising dilemma. To get the treasure, he needs Siegfried to kill Fafner. But he also fears that Siegfried will fulfil the Wanderer’s prophecy and claim Mime’s life. He decides to brew a powerful sleeping potion, intending to drug Siegfried once he slays the dragon.

As Mime finishes brewing the potion, Siegfried successfully reforges Nothung. Brandishing the sword, Siegfried smashes the anvil and runs off into the forest.

Art by Clarice Wu

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ac t 2 FAF N ER’S CAV E

In the deepest, darkest corner of the land lies the cave known as Niedehöhle. Here, away from the rest 7 of the world, Fafner the dragon broods over his hoard of treasure day and night.

ACT 2 S C E NE 1 Alberich skulks around the mouth of Fafner’s cave. He dreams of reclaiming the treasure and his ring, but is too afraid to face the dragon himself.

7. f a f n e r With the stark change in scenery from Act 1, Wagner uses the lowest frequencies available in the orchestra to represent Fafner. Two important leitmotifs feature here:

The Wanderer arrives. Alberich sees through his disguise right away and recognises his enemy Wotan. But oddly enough, he now seems to be on Alberich’s side. The Wanderer reveals that he no longer has any interest in claiming the ring; he is simply an observer, not a participant.

The thudding timpani is a callback to Fafner’s origin as a giant.

The Wanderer tells Alberich that Mime and Siegfried are coming.

He then wakes Fafner up, giving Alberich a chance to make a deal.

Alberich warns Fafner and offers protection in return for the ring, but Fafner mocks his warning and returns to sleep. The Wanderer leaves, and Alberich vows vengeance on the gods.

The heavy, Jaws-like motif in the tuba might evoke a large, dragging serpent; it might also bring to mind the heavy psychological stagnation and gravity of greed and brooding.

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SYNOPSIS: ACT 2

AC T 2 S C E NE 2 At daybreak, Siegfried and Mime arrive at the dragon’s cave. Mime tries to scare Siegfried with tales about Fafner, but Siegfried is unfazed. To him, Fafner is just another beast; he can slay it by simply driving Nothung through its heart. With that he sends Mime away.

Alone in the beauty of the woods, Siegfried reflects on his parents, especially his mother, whose appearance he cannot remember. He notices the chirping of a bird.8 Eager to communicate, he tries to imitate it with a reed pipe but fails comically. Instead, he sounds his hunting horn.

His horn awakens Fafner and a fierce battle ensues.

Siegfried emerges triumphant, but he still has not learnt fear. Absentmindedly, he touches his lips with his hand, still stained with Fafner’s blood. This grants him the ability to understand the Woodbird’s song. The Woodbird leads him into Fafner’s cave, where he retrieves the treasure and the ring.

8. t h e wo o d b i r d ’ s s o n g We first hear the Woodbird from the orchestra, in oboes and flutes:

However, when Siegfried tries to imitate the Woodbird, Wagner creatively instructs the English horn player to play this “harsh and impurely, in imitation of a raw reed instrument”. Here, the musician has to undo years of musical training to sound as un-beautiful as possible!

s i e g f r i e d a n d fa f n e r ’ s b at t l e As the hero and dragon begin their battle, their leitmotifs also begin to clash, with Siegfried’s horn call ultimately prevailing.

9. m i m e ’ s d e c e i t Wagner uses inventive orchestration to portray Mime’s attempt to guile Siegfried into drinking the poison. This scheming motif played by the violas introduces a sense of uneasiness as Mime continues to lie through his teeth, oblivious that Siegfried has already caught on.

AC T 2 S C E NE 3 As Siegfried disappears into the cave, Mime and Alberich emerge from hiding. The brothers quarrel over the treasure, but they withdraw when Siegfried returns with the treasure and the ring.

The Woodbird sings to Siegfried again, warning him not to trust Mime. As Mime returns with the drugged drink,9 Siegfried notices that he can hear Mime’s innermost thoughts. Realising that Mime truly plans to kill him, Siegfried shows no mercy and kills Mime instead. Alberich’s mocking laughter rings out in the distance.

The Woodbird then tells Siegfried of a beautiful sleeping bride named Brünnhilde awaiting him on a rock surrounded by impenetrable magic fire. Only “he who knows no fear” will be able to reach and awaken her. He sets off to the mountaintop in search of her, following the bird as it flies on ahead.

Art by A. Lak

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ac t 3 T H E M O U N TA I N

From high on the mountain, a bright glow shines forth, rivaling the sun.

There, Brünnhilde lies imprisoned, high up on the rock where Wotan left her, surrounded by a magical flame that burns ever fiercely.

After finishing Act 2, Wagner took a twelve-year hiatus before resuming work on Act 3. In the meantime, he composed two other monumental operas, Tristan und Isolde and Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. His matured musical language is immediately noticeable in the Prelude to Act 3 of Siegfried. Widely considered one of the greatest preludes in opera, Wagner’s mastery of orchestration and counterpoint dramatically sets the stage for the final act.

ACT 3 S C E NE 1 At the foot of the mountain, the Wanderer summons Erda, the goddess of the Earth. He wants to consult her wisdom, but she refuses in horror after learning of her daughter Brünnhilde’s fate.

The Wanderer then confesses that he has no more need for her advice — he has accepted the end of the gods’ reign,10 and will leave the fate of the world to Siegfried and Brünnhilde.

THE BREAKING OF THE SPEAR As Siegfried confronts the Wanderer, the Spear leitmotif itself also fragments, disintegrating into a low rumble.

10 . b e q u e s t This triumphant motif is heard as the Wanderer tells Erda that he is handing over the world to Siegfried and Brünnhilde. Subsequent appearances of this motif are associated with the two mortals, becoming a symbol of their love and unity.

A C T 3 SCEN E 2 Siegfried arrives at the foot of the mountain, but has lost track of the bird. Seeing the Wanderer, he asks for directions to the rock on which a woman is asleep. The Wanderer does not provide a clear answer, which irritates the young Siegfried. The hero, thinking the Wanderer is just some ordinary old man, becomes increasingly antagonistic and mocks him.

The Wanderer warns Siegfried against pursuing the rock and blocks his path with his spear, revealing that his spear has shattered Nothung before. Siegfried believes he has found his father’s enemy. Wishing to avenge him, he breaks the spear with a violent blow, leaving the Wanderer defeated.

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SYNOPSIS: ACT 3

ACT 3 SCENE 3 As the Wanderer retreats, Siegfried continues upwards on his journey.

With barely a second thought, he enters the ring of fire. Amidst the quiet stillness of the mountaintop, he sees the sleeping Brünnhilde.

Having never seen a woman before, he mistakes her for a male warrior.

12 . R E V I V A L This ethereal motif is heard for the first time as Brünnhilde awakens from her sleep and greets the light (“Heil dir, Sonne! Heil dir Licht!”).

While harmonically plain, the magic is in Wagner’s orchestration. Harps and strings elaborate and embellish the chords with arpeggios and trills, creating the otherworldly effect of time stopping.

When he removes Brünnhilde’s armour, he realises who she is.11 Overwhelmed by the sight of her beauty, Siegfried finally experiences fear for the first time. He builds up his courage and kisses her on the lips, awakening Brünnhilde from her deep slumber.12 Brünnhilde is ecstatic after learning Siegfried’s name but tries to resist his initial advancements, reluctant to fully accept her new status as a mortal.13 However, they are both overcome by passion, and proclaim their undying love in triumphant exaltation.14

13 . I M M O R T A L B E L O V E D This tender melody signals Brünnhilde’s eventual acceptance of her mortality as she joins Siegfried in love. Wagner later incorporated this theme into a standalone piece for chamber orchestra, Siegfried Idyll, as a gift to his wife Cosima after the birth of their son Siegfried in 1869.

11. T h e V a l k y r i e When Siegfried asks aloud about who this sleeping figure is, the orchestra answers: we hear a short snippet of the Ride of the Valkyries.

14 . L o v e ’ s R e s o l u t i o n This motif, played by triumphant horns, is heard at the end of Siegfried and Brünnhilde’s love duet.

Despite The love they express is not only everlasting, but also carefree.

Art by Kaoru Lu

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BACKGROUND OF

the Ring CyclE WAG NER’ S VI SI ON FOR OPERA Richard Wagner was not just a composer. He was also a conductor, music theorist, poet, polemical writer, philosopher, and a stage director (amongst other roles). It was through the genre of opera that Wagner developed and expressed his all-encompassing creative vision: a consummate artistic experience unifying all art forms.

He described this artistic synthesis as Gesamtkunstwerk, or “total work of art”.

For Wagner, theatre was serious business. He lambasted his contemporaries for treating opera as mere entertainment, with frivolous plots, mediocre libretti, formulaic structures, and gratuitous virtuosic displays. Instead, Wagner envisioned an organic artform that harkened back to the ideals of ancient Greek drama, integrating poetry, drama, stagecraft, music, song and dance.

Wagner’s desire for a unified artistic vision led him to take the extraordinary decision to write his own libretto (the opera’s text).

His librettos included detailed stage directions for each of his operas.

For Wagner, poetry, music, and stagecraft could not be arbitrarily combined — they had to be carefully synthesised. He demanded serious, undivided attentiveness from his audience too. He was the first to darken the lights in a concert to create a heightened, hyperfocused theatrical experience.

In his 1851 essay, A Communication to My Friends, Wagner denounced the prevailing operatic styles of time and set forth his own vision for opera, declaring, “I shall never write an Opera more. As I have no wish to invent an arbitrary title for my works, I will call them Dramas….”

In that same essay, he also announced his next project: “I propose to produce my myth in three complete dramas, preceded by a lengthy Prelude....” This “myth” was none other than the monumental cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung).

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BACKGROUND OF THE RING CYCLE

T HE O R I G I NS OF THE MYTH… Wagner’s public announcement of the Ring cycle in 1851 might suggest that it was near completion, but in fact he had scarcely begun. It would take him another twenty-three years to finish the cycle, a process replete with changes to names, titles, and plot points — the entire ending was reworked thrice!

Wagner’s initial ambition was to recount the mighty exploits and tragic death of the legendary hero Siegfried. The source material for this epic consisted of legendary Norse sagas, including the Icelandic Eddas and Völsungasaga, the Norwegian Thidrekssaga, and the Nibelungenlied, an epic poem nicknamed “the German Iliad”. During Wagner’s lifetime, there was a rising sense of nationalistic zeal in German-speaking lands to unite as one people. His audiences would have recognised the stories from the Nibelungenlied as shared cultural heritage. Ultimately, Wagner’s goal was to build a galvanising “national myth” for a unified German country that was yet to come.

... A ND ITS D A R KE R L EGACI ES After Wagner’s death, the lofty ambitions of his operas were taken down some dark paths in the 20th century. His music (together with Mozart’s and Bruckner’s) was widely appropriated as Nazi propaganda, not helped by the fact that Wagner left behind several antisemitic writings. Wagner himself was not a Nazi — the party was only founded decades after his death. It is also unclear if the Nazis referred to or were even aware of Wagner’s writings.

Nevertheless, associations between Wagner and Nazism have strengthened over the course of the 20th century. As Alex Ross writes, “in an unsettling way, we now listen to Wagner through Hitler’s ears. I doubt that anyone would have been more confounded by this turn of events than Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionism, who was deeply under Wagner’s spell.” It is important to consider these associations critically and think about whether such assumptions are indeed valid ones to hold today.

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BACKGROUND OF THE RING CYCLE

C O N S T R U C T I N G THE R ING Wagner’s earliest sketches were for a single opera, Siegfrieds Tod, or “Siegfried’s Death”. By 1850, Wagner had completed the libretto and musical sketches for Siegfrieds Tod, but it was deemed insufficient — a preliminary opera, Der junge Siegfried, was needed for greater context.

However, even with this libretto finished, Wagner’s creative ambition was not satisfied. For the “conveyance of [his] comprehensive purpose”, two more operas were necessary, forming a cycle of four operas in total.

By the end of 1852, he would complete the verse drafts of Die Walküre and Das Rheingold. In the meanwhile, Siegfrieds Tod was renamed Götterdämmerung, and Der junge Siegfried was renamed simply Siegfried.

Once the structure of the cycle — “three dramas, with a lengthy prelude” — was defined, it would stay consistent throughout the rest of the writing and composition process. Interestingly, Wagner never called the Ring cycle a tetralogy; instead, he always referred to it as a trilogy with a prelude (or prequel in today’s common parlance).

Wagner wrote the librettos in reverse order, beginning with Siegfried’s death in the final opera and working backwards. However, the music was composed chronologically. Starting with Das Rheingold, he worked on the cycle intermittently, even pausing for over a decade to focus on other operas. Wagner eventually finished the music for the fourth and final opera, Götterdämmerung, in 1874. At long last, the cycle was complete.

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BACKGROUND OF THE RING CYCLE

T HE S YM P HO N I C F A B R IC In order to create a coherent narrative across four operas, Wagner had to engage in world-building and mythmaking. These processes are common in other genres, such as high fantasy and science fiction novels and graphic novels. Modern day films are also particularly adept at it, from The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars, to Dune and the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe. But for Wagner, the sheer scope of his creative vision was extraordinary for his time, casting a grand design over the four massive operas, freely cross-referencing plot details and thematic ideas over more than fifteen hours of music.

By writing his own libretti, Wagner had much greater control over the intricate links between text and music.

The philosopher Bryan Magee provided the following illustration – if the line is “Love gives delight to the living”, Wagner will stay in the same key throughout as these are compatible concepts. If the line is “Love brings delight and sorrow”, Wagner will change the key midway, teasing out the contrasting aspects of delight, and sorrow in his music. To do this, Magee writes that Wagner creates a “symphonic web of infinite plasticity”.

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In the music, Wagner utilised “reminiscence motifs” and “presentiment motifs”, themes which could either call up an association or foreshadow something that was to come. Years later, the scholar Hans von Wolzogen created a new overarching term, the “leitmotif” (literally a “leading motif”), to encapsulate both the reminiscence motif and presentiment motif.

Today, there are many online resources which catalogue and analyse the hundreds of leitmotifs in Wagner’s Ring.

This technique has provided many modern film music masters, such as John Williams and Howard Shore, with a toolbox to engineer dramatic and emotional impact in their film scores. We have also highlighted some of these in the synopsis.

Wagner imbued the leitmotif with incredible flexibility and facility. The themes not only provide reminiscences and presentiments, but also show linkages between characters and dramatic events. Strategically placed leitmotifs allow the orchestra to take the function of the ancient Greek chorus, commenting on events, speaking directly to the audience, and also to suggest links and contrasts between events.

BACKGROUND OF THE RING CYCLE

For example, Wagner created a whole collection of leitmotifs relating to nature.

A rising arpeggio in the very opening of Das Rheingold represents the stirrings of nature itself. Out of this, the pentatonic melody of the Rhinemaidens’ song is developed. Two operas later, in Siegfried, we hear a near-identical song, this time sung by the Woodbird. The libretto says nothing about their connection, but the music makes it patently obvious — both of them represent nature, in its carefreeness as well as its wisdom.

Wagner’s meticulous integration of orchestration, harmonic language, and leitmotifs with his narratives tightened the dramatic structure of his operas. This “total work of art” illuminates the many facets of the human condition with wit, clarity, and compassion. As Carl Jung described it, Wagner’s music “represents the movement, development, and transformation of motifs of the collective unconscious.” It is no wonder then that so many listeners have enjoyed diving into the Ring over and over again.

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CREATIVE TEAM CONDUCTOR

LÜ SHAO-CHIA

Taiwanese conductor Lü Shao-Chia studied music in Taipei before continuing his education at Indiana University and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He won first prizes at the Besançon (France), Pedrotti (Italy), and Kondrashin (the Netherlands) International Conducting Competitions.

Over his distinguished European career, Lü has established an international reputation as an outstanding opera conductor with a broad repertoire. His interpretations of Wagner, Strauss, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Debussy, Janáček, and Mussorgsky have been praised for their lyrical sensitivity, dramatic insight, orchestral refinement, and profound musical understanding.

Alongside his operatic career, Lü is equally at home on the concert podium.

He has served as General Music Director of the Theater Koblenz, the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie Koblenz, and the Staatsoper Hannover, and as Chief Conductor of the South Denmark Philharmonic.

He continues to appear regularly as a guest conductor with leading opera houses and major orchestras across Europe and Asia.

Lü served as Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra (Taiwan) from 2010 to 2020, leading the orchestra to new artistic heights and international recognition.

Siegfried is Lü’s 3rd appearance with OMM. Previous highlights include Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra and Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast (2019), and Mahler’s Sixth Symphony (2024).

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CREATIVE TEAM

DIRECTOR

TAN SHOU CHEN

Tan Shou Chen is a theatre director whose work moves between the intimate and the epic — finding the human pulse in between the traverse of time and space. With over two decades as both performer and director, Shou Chen brings a rare double fluency to the stage: an actor’s ear, and a director’s eye.

After Siegfried, he will be directing, for The Opera People in October 2026, a new staging of Verdi’s La Traviata set in pre-independence Singapore and inspired by the ideals and contradictions surrounding Singapore’s 1961 Women’s Charter.

Highlights of his past directorial works include: Opera: Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride; Mozart’s Don Giovanni (2024); Purcell’s Dido (2023); Handel’s Alcina (2021), and Orestes by Ifigenia (Singapore International Festival of the Arts, 2019).

Theatre: The Last Gardener (The Theatre Practice, 2024); Ng Yi-Sheng’s Desert Blooms - The Dawn of Queer Singapore Theatre (Centre 42, 2024); Caryl Churchill’s Love and Information (SMU Arts Festival, 2023); Joel Tan’s Mosaic (Esplanade Studios, Singtel Waterfront, 2023); Tony Perez’s On North Diversion Road (SMU Arts Festival, 2021); Joel Tan’s A Bird Calls You to Moscow (2020),13.13.13 (Theatreworks SG, part of the international company’s 2018 season); Open Waters (Bangkok Theatre Festival 2017, NAC Creation Grant); MEDEA (The Substation’s Director’s Lab, 2014); Now Then Again by Penny Penniston (NUS Arts Festival 2016). shouchen.net

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CREATIVE TEAM

STAGE MANAGER

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Mirabel Neo is a Singapore-based Production and Stage Manager whose passion lies in transforming creative visions into memorable live experiences. Her work spans drama, musical theatre, classical opera, theatre for young audiences, and large-scale commercial events.

Recognised for her calm leadership, and collaborative spirit. Mirabel thrives behind the scenes, creating the foundation that allows artists and productions to shine.

Gabriel is an acclaimed lighting designer based in Singapore. Graduating from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts with First Class Honours in Lighting Design, supported by the NAC Overseas Bursary and the Strand Lighting Scholarship, he was conferred the Young Artist Award in 2019 for his artistic excellence and contribution to Singapore’s performing arts scene.

A chameleon of a designer, Gabriel is well versed in lighting for the theatre, dance, music concerts, sporting and live national broadcast events.

MIRABEL NEO

Her international touring experience includes serving as Production Manager for The Mysterious Lai Teck (2018– 2020) and, since 2024, Baby Shark Live! The Hidden Treasure, supporting productions across multiple countries and diverse venues. This production also marks her third collaboration with OMM on a Wagner opera production, a partnership she deeply values.

Believing that every production is an opportunity to learn and grow, Mirabel continues to refine her craft while embracing new collaborations and creative challenges that celebrate the magic of live performance.

SET DESIGNER

TK HAY

GABRIEL CHAN

Music lighting design credits include Bartok’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and Ravel’s Spain (Singapore Symphony Orchestra), Pipa Virtuoso, Wu Man, in Borderlands (SIFA 2016), Eight, Stories from an Island City, Mind the Music, Heirlooms and Forefathers (The Teng Ensemble), Wukong’s 72 Transformations, SCO 25th Anniversary Virtuoso Series I, II, III, Rhapsodies of Spring (Singapore Chinese Orchestra), The Origins Cipher, Nine Songs, Soul Journey Ten Years, (Siong Leng Musical Association). www.gabrielchan.me COSTUME DESIGNER

TK is a Singaporean theatre designer based in the UK

MAX TAN

Opera includes Iphigénie en Tauride and Alcina (The Opera People)

Max started his eponymous label MAX.TAN upon his collection at the Singapore Fashion Designers Contest in 2007. What began as creating capsule collections to meet increasing interest, then became a full-fledged debut, with the S/S 2010 collection being featured as one of the top ten collections globally on premier trend forecasting report - Stylesight.com, alongside powerhouses such as Alexander McQueen and Valentino.

Theatre includes The Serangoon Gardens Techno Party of 1993, G*d is a Woman (Wild Rice), Mosaic (Esplanade), Scenes from a Repatriation (Royal Court), Pea and The Princess (Polka), The Jungle Book (Theatre by the Lake), My Father’s Fable (Bush), Little Shop of Horrors (Octagon Bolton, Ipswich New Wolsey, Theatre by the Lake, Hull Truck), Mayflies (York Royal), Beginning (Royal Exchange), The Making of a Monster (Wales Millenium Centre), Constellations (Stephen Joseph), The Apology, Tsunagu/Connect (New Earth), An Adventure (Octagon Bolton), Brenda’s Got a Baby (New Diorama).

Awards include the Arts Foundation Future Award (2025), the Stage Debut Awards (2022), the Linbury Prize for Stage Design (2019), and the Singapore National Arts Council Scholarship (2016). www.tkhay.design

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Over the past decade, Max has been recognised for his innovative designs that challenge fashion trends while incorporating his Asian roots. Max also lectures at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and enjoys partnering with theatre groups in Singapore, designing costumes for their key productions.

CREATIVE TEAM

PROPS DESIGNER AND MAKER

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

An avid tinkerer since childhood, Beverly is fascinated by how things work and finds joy in exploring solutions to unique problems.

Seow Yibin is a Singaporean oboist and conductor. He is currently Associate Conductor of both the Orchestra of the Music Makers and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. He is also the conductor of the NAFA Wind Orchestra, as well as the concert bands of National Junior College (Junior High) and Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary). Whilst based in Europe, he was the conductor of the Junior Royal Northern College of Music, UK; Principal Guest Conductor of North Cheshire Wind Orchestra, UK; and conductor of the Musikgesellschaft Harmonie Büsserach, Switzerland.

BEVERLY LIANG

Her attention to detail has led to a decade in many roles within the theatre and entertainment industry. Having had the privilege of working on both local and touring shows, she cherishes every show as an opportunity for growth and learning.

As long as she is capable, Beverly would like to continue helping to build dreams.

ASSISTANT AND REPETITEUR

ANSI VERWEY

German conductor, pianist, author, and presenter Ansi Verwey is a compelling stage artist whose performances make classical music vivid, accessible, and deeply personal. Through one-woman shows, opera introductions, and concert presentations, she distils masterpieces from Monteverdi and Verdi to contemporary composers, revealing their essence with insight, wit, and infectious enthusiasm. Equally at home on major opera stages and in intimate jazz clubs, she combines storytelling and performance to engage audiences of all backgrounds.

Born in South Africa, Verwey studied music at Stellenbosch University and spent ten years in the South African opera world under apartheid before moving to Germany in 1994. In 2003 she set a Guinness World Record for continuous piano playing, performing Bach and Wagner for 52 hours and 59 minutes. Her international career has taken her to cities including Atlanta, Brussels, Taipei, Barcelona, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Zurich, Basel, Vienna, and Bilbao.

Some highlights include a solo adaptation of Das Rheingold in Atlanta (2020), serving as assistant conductor for a new production of La bohème in Taiwan, and performing at the Wagner Festival in Vinke Garden. In 2022 she appeared in “Der Schwarze Hecht” at Bottmingen Castle and was appointed Professor of Musical Practice Excellence at the HMT Leipzig.

Alongside her academic role, she remains active as a conductor, coach, pianist, and guest professor at leading European opera houses and conservatoires.

SEOW YIBIN

In Singapore, he has conducted prominent musical groups such as The Philharmonic Winds and Orchestra Collective. As a keen educator, he has also led workshops at the Singapore Woodwind Festival and given conducting masterclasses at School of the Arts, Singapore and National Junior College.

Yibin began oboe studies at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (Singapore) before furthering them with Emanuel Abbühl at Musik-Akademie Basel (Switzerland), where he also pursued Wind Band Conducting with Felix Hauswirth. He subsequently joined the Royal Northern College of Music, studying Orchestral Conducting under Clark Rundell and Mark Heron. He has also participated in conducting masterclasses with Juanjo Mena, Jac van Steen, Tim Reynish, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, and Manuel Nawri.

REHEARSAL PIANIST

BEATRICE LIN

A graduate of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Singapore, the Royal Academy of Music, and the Haute école de Musique de Genève, her studies were generously supported by the National Arts Council and the Lee Foundation. She was also awarded the Adolphe Neuman Prize from the canton of Geneva upon graduation. Performances include live radio broadcasts on the Radio Suisse Romande Espace 2, keyboardist with L’Orchestre de Chambre de Genève and Ensemble Contrechamps, as well as répètiteur for the Concours de Genève. On home ground, she is collaborative pianist at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and freelances with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as well as the Singapore Chinese Orchestra.

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CAST

SIEGFRIED

MIME

Munich-born tenor Vincent Wolfsteiner studied at the New England Conservatory with William Cotton and debuted as Rodolfo (La bohème) at Granite State Opera.

Born in Åland, Finnish tenor Dan Karlström studied at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki and continued his training with Prof. Herbert Brauer in Berlin. Since 2001, he has been a permanent member of the Leipzig Opera ensemble and has built a repertoire across opera, operetta and musical theatre.

VINCENT WOLFSTEINER

His European career began at Volkstheater Rostock, followed by performances at Staatsoper Hannover, Komische Oper Berlin, Staatstheater Darmstadt, Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, and Heidenheim Opera Festival. He took on roles such as Siegmund (Die Walküre), Florestan (Fidelio), Aegisth (Elektra), Bacchus (Ariadne auf Naxos), as well as parts in works by Weinberger, Hindemith, and Weill.

After two seasons at Staatstheater Nürnberg, he joined the ensemble at Oper Frankfurt, debuting as Verdi’s Otello. Since then, he has performed all major tenor roles in Wagner’s Ring, the title roles in Tristan und Isolde, Peter Grimes, and Andrea Chénier, as well as Erik (The Flying Dutchman) and Calaf (Turandot).

Wolfsteiner has collaborated with conductors such as Daniel Barenboim, Thomas Guggeis, Jakub Hrůša, Henrik Nánási, and Sebastian Weigle and directors including Christof Loy, Keith Warner, Barrie Kosky, and Claus Guth.

Recent highlights include Herodes (Salome) at Staatsoper Wien, Lohengrin at the Tokyo Spring Festival, Tannhäuser at Staatsoper Berlin, the Emperor (Die Frau ohne Schatten) in Lyon, Sergej (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk) at Staatsoper Hamburg, Paul (Die tote Stadt) at Bergen National Opera, Pollux (Die Liebe der Danae) at Bayerische Staatsoper, and Siegfried in concert with the Dresden Philharmonic.

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DAN KARLSTRÖM

Notable opera roles include Hoffmann in The Tales of Hoffmann, Mime in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen, the title role in Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg, Tamino in The Magic Flute, David in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Piet vom Fass in Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre, Pedrillo in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, the Gingerbread Witch in Hansel and Gretel and Monostatos in The Magic Flute. His musical theatre roles include Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.

His concert repertoire includes Bach’s Johannespassion and Weihnachtsoratorium, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Handel’s Messiah, Verdi’s Requiem, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Orff’s Carmina Burana and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde.

Guest engagements have taken Karlström to many notable opera houses and festivals such as the Semperoper Dresden, Staatsoper Unter den Linden Berlin, Grand Théâtre de Genève, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, the Hungarian State Opera in Budapest and the Bayreuth Festival. He has a long-standing relationship with the Finnish National Opera and is also a regular guest at the Savonlinna Opera Festival.

Karlström has worked with conductors including Christian Thielemann, Andris Nelsons, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Marc Albrecht and Hannu Lintu, and stage directors like Peter Sellars, Claus Guth, Robert Carsen, Francisco Negrín and Damiano Michieletto.

CAST

Photo: © Carsten Sander

Photo: Clare Park ®

WANDERER

ERDA

Baritone Michael Volle is one of the world’s leading singers in his Fach. As a heldenbariton, he has performed on the major opera stages worldwide, including the Vienna State Opera, La Scala in Milan, the Met, the Royal Opera House in London, the Opéra National de Paris, as well as at the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festivals.

British mezzo-soprano Anna Harvey is a member of the ensemble at Deutsche Oper am Rhein where this coming season she makes role debuts as Waltraute (Götterdämmerung) and Magdalena (Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg). Highlights of previous seasons with the company include Fricka (Das Rheingold and Die Walküre), Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier), Carmen, Giulio Cesare, Fenena (Nabucco), Dido (Dido & Aeneas), Olga (Eugene Onegin), Prinz Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Meg Page (Falstaff), Brigitta (Die Tote Stadt), Annio (La clemenza di Tito), Varvara (Káťa Kabanová), Polina/Daphnis (Pique Dame), The Child (L’enfant et les sortilèges), and Bejlia Weinberg’s (Mazeltov).

MICHAEL VOLLE

His most important roles include Wotan/Wanderer and Hans Sachs (Wagner), as well as roles by R. Strauss, Verdi, Puccini, and others.

Highlights of the 2026/27 season include concert performances of Siegfried in Rome (conducted by Daniel Harding), as well as concert Ring cycles at New York’s Carnegie Hall and in Paris. He will also appear as the Dutchman at the Bavarian State Opera.

Alongside his opera engagements, he continues to pursue his passion for concert and song, collaborating with leading orchestras and conductors. His recital programs focus primarily on German art song, delighting audiences with his sensitive interpretations.

His long-standing career is documented in numerous recordings and has been recognized with awards such as the German Theatre Prize DER FAUST and multiple “Singer of the Year” honours by Opernwelt.

ANNA HARVEY

Recent and upcoming highlights outside Düsseldorf include Hänsel (Hänsel & Gretel) in her house debut at Ópera de Oviedo, her role and house debut as Sister Helen (Dead Man Walking) at Pfalztheater Kaiserlautern, Messiah with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and The Dream of Gerontius with Filharmonia Kraków.

Anna is the winner of the 2022 Paris Opera Competition, the Oratorio and Audience Prizes of the 2017 International Vocal Competition and the 2015 London Bach Singers Prize. Her disc, Songs by Warlock and Howe was released on Rubicon in 2022.

Siegfried is Anna’s 2nd appearance with OMM, reprising the role of Erda from Das Rheingold (2023).

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CAST

Photo: Karpati & Zarewicz

ALBERICH

FAFNER

JOACHIM GOLTZ

LUKASZ KONIECZNY

The baritone Joachim Goltz has been a permanent member of the ensemble of the Nationaltheater in Mannheim since 2014.

Polish-born bass Lukasz Konieczny studied vocal performance at the Wroclaw Academy of Music.

Masterclasses with renowned teachers and singers such as Prof. Christian Elsner, Deborah Polaski, Franz Grundheber, Linda Watson and David Syrus and acting courses rounded off his training.

Recent guest performances have led him to Deutsche Oper Berlin as “Flying Dutchman” and “Klingsor” in Parsifal, to Teatro Real Madrid, to Cologne, Dresden (Semperoper), to the Nationaltheater Weimar, and among others, to the operahouses in St. Gallen (Switzerland), Hannover, Düsseldorf, Saarbrücken and Stuttgart.

Joachim has sung at the Brucknerfestival-Linz in Austria, and had his successful debut as “Telramund” at the Croatian National Opera in Zagreb. He also performed this role in Wiesbaden, Nürnberg, Augsburg, Würzburg and at the Ljubljana Festival in Slovenia. After his “Pizarro” in 2020, he returned to the State Opera of Prague as “The Flying Dutchman” in 2022 and as “Alberich” in Das Rheingold in 2026. He also sang this role in the Singapore Premiere of Das Rheingold in 2023 and in Daegu (South Korea).

Joachim recently made his Bayreuth Festival debut, with the role of “Cecco del Vecchio” in Wagner’s Rienzi under the baton of Nathalie Stutzmann.

He has had the pleasure of working with conductors as Sir Donald Runnicles, Axel Kober, Stefan Soltesz, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Gabriel Feltz, Cornelius Meister, Christian Thielemann, Alexander Soddy and Pablo Heras-Casado.

Siegfried is Joachim’s 2nd appearance with OMM, reprising the role of Alberich from Das Rheingold (2023).

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From 2011 to 2019, he was a member of the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf and Duisburg and has since worked as a freelance artist.

His repertoire includes roles such as Dr. Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro), Il Commendatore (Don Giovanni), Sarastro (Die Zauberflöte), Zuniga (Carmen), Crespel/Luther (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Sparafucile (Rigoletto), Banco (Macbeth), Colline (La bohème), Rocco (Fidelio), Eremit (Der Freischütz), Fafner (Das Rheingold and Siegfried), Hunding (Die Walküre), Truffaldin (Ariadne auf Naxos) and Polifemo (Acis and Galatea), as well as Dr. Behrens in the world premiere of Mykietyn’s The Magic Mountain in Poznan. Konieczny’s repertoire also includes important concert works such as Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem and Coronation Mass, Dvorak’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s Paulus and Penderecki’s Polish Requiem, among others.

Guest appearances have taken him to the State Operas in Munich and Hamburg, Semperoper Dresden, Warsaw National Opera, Baltic Opera Gdansk, Weimar National Theater, the Halle Handel Festival, Eutin Festival and Munich Opera Festival.

Siegfried is Lukasz’s 2nd appearance with OMM, reprising the role of Fafner from Das Rheingold (2023).

CAST

Photo: ©Lutz Edelhoff

WOODBIRD

BRÜNNHILDE

Praised for the ‘brilliance and agility’ of voice (The Straits Times) and described as ‘a voice of rare beauty’ (Bachtrack), London-based Singaporean soprano Victoria Songwei Li is quickly making a name for herself as an interpreter of coloratura roles, performing on both the concert and opera stage. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she studied with Yvonne Kenny.

Stéphanie Müther has established herself as a widely sought-after dramatic soprano, particularly acclaimed for her interpretations of Wagnerian roles. She received widespread praise for her portrayal of Isolde at the Deutsche Oper Berlin under Sir Donald Runnicles and has recently appeared as Brünnhilde at the Baltic Opera Festival, as well as in Cologne, Wuppertal, Dortmund and Rome.

Li made her professional operatic debut at the age of 17 as Giannetta in L’elisir d’amore with New Opera Singapore.

Since then, performance highlights include Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Garsington Opera), Amour and La Folie in Platée, Elle in La Voix Humaine, Wellgunde in Das Rheingold, Blanche in Dialogues des Carmélites, and the title role in Rusalka. She has also appeared with English National Opera in It’s A Wonderful Life, The Cunning Little Vixen, Peter Grimes, and The Handmaid’s Tale.

She first sang Brünnhilde in 2018 at Biwako Hall in Kyoto and subsequently completed the Ring cycle there in Siegfried and Götterdämmerung. Further Wagner successes include Brünnhilde and Ortrud at Chemnitz Opera, whose production of Götterdämmerung received the German Theatre Prize DER FAUST, as well as Brünnhilde in Peter Konwitschny’s Ring cycle at Theater Dortmund.

VICTORIA SONGWEI LI

In 2025, she sang Sita in the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s A Bridge Across the Sea. Her awards include the Cyril Greaves Bursary, Osaka Governor Award, and First Prize at the 20th International Osaka Music Competition.

STÉPHANIE MÜTHER

Müther made her Bayreuth Festival debut in 2022 as the Second Norn and Waltraute, while also covering all Brünnhilde roles. Recent role debuts include Turandot, Tosca and Ortrud.

Li has also appeared as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, and Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Siegfried is Victoria’s 2nd appearance with OMM. She previously performed Wellgunde in Das Rheingold (2023).

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THE MUSIC MAKERS MUSIC DIRECTOR Chan Tze Law

ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR Seow Yibin

VIOLINS Chan Yoong Han CONCERTMASTER Kimberlyn Wu PRINCIPAL SECOND VIOLIN Ang Zien Xu Chan Su Yin Kayler Chu Anmi Fujii Jennifer Goh Wilford Goh Cheryl Ho Ho Yin Shan Audrey Koh Aidan Kwek Jaslyn Lee Pauline Lee Yvonne Lee Loi Si Xian Loi Zi Xian Phedra Low Neo Wei Qing Ng Peiyi Keith Ong Javan See Alex Shen Samuel Soekarno Tan Chunrui Naomi Tan Natalie Tan Sherie Tan Josiah Teo Gary Teoh Zhang Sijing Zheng Kai

CELLO Ryan Sim PRINCIPAL Rachael Chan Choo Vee Shen Lavinia Chu Olivia Chuang Koh Liong Tiek Charis Low Isaac Tah Stacy Tah Theophilus Tan Wong Yi Kai

VIOLA May Loh PRINCIPAL Shannon Chan Chang Zi Yi Christopher Cheong Calvin Dai Gao Wei Skyler Goh Kuah Ying Ching Thantakorn Lakanasirorat Aaron Soh Oliver Tan Samuel Tan

DOUBLE BASS Guennadi Mouzyka PRINCIPAL Damien Chew Chia Yingyin Kenrick Lam Lee Mian Jun Lee Zi Xuan Alvin Liew Alwyn Loy FLUTE Cheryl Lim PRINCIPAL Chee Jek Yi Jeremy Lim Matthew Tan PICCOLO Chee Jek Yi Jeremy Lim OBOE Tay Kai Tze PRINCIPAL Chan Chen Tok Rei ENGLISH HORN Seow Yibin CLARINET Miao Kaiwen PRINCIPAL Qian Wanni Claudia Toh BASS CLARINET Jeremy Chua BASSOON Shi Jia Ao PRINCIPAL Emerald Chee Li Rui Dan CONTRABASSOON Emerald Chee

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HORN Austin Larson CO-PRINCIPAL Xavier Tan CO-PRINCIPAL Linda Chua Joey Gao Harsharon Kaur Chloe Lau Nigel Leong Ong Hwee Ling Ren Zhaoying WAGNER TUBA Chloe Lau Nigel Leong Ong Hwee Ling Ren Zhaoying TRUMPET Lau Wen Rong PRINCIPAL Lee Jinjun David Marley BASS TRUMPET Kang Chun Meng PRINCIPAL TROMBONE Sam Armstrong PRINCIPAL Reema Chatterjee BASS AND CONTRABASS TROMBONE Ng Jun Jie David Wong TUBA Tan Yao Cong PRINCIPAL HARP Charmaine Teo PRINCIPAL Jerielle Kok Chloe Liow Kaitlyn Tan TIMPANI Mario Choo PRINCIPAL Christian Borres PERCUSSION Derek Koh PRINCIPAL Cheong Kah Yiong ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Wong Ting Feng

BOARD AND MANAGEMENT B OA R D O F D I R EC TOR S Lee Guan Wei Daniel CHAIRMAN Assoc. Prof Chan Tze Law Michael Huang Jesher Loi Sanjiv Malhotra Edward Neo Isaac Tah Toh Xue Qian Prof Bernard Tan ADVISOR

MAN AG E M E NT TE A M ARTISTIC PLANNING Michael Huang HEAD Lee Jinjun Joshua Tan Oliver Tan Isaac Tah COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Isaac Tah HEAD Ang Zien Xu Natasha Lee Skyler Goh

HUMAN RESOURCE Ang Zien Xu Chanz Boo Nathanael Goh Skyler Goh Lee Jinjun Lee Yuru Estee Ng Fredrick Suwandi Kelsey Tan Joshua Tan Isabel Tay Josiah Teo Kimberlyn Wu

BRANDING & MARKETING Chan Chen HEAD Choo Vee Shen Chua Jay Roon Ariel Lim Joshua Tan Kaitlyn Tan

PRODUCTION COORDINATION Choo Vee Shen Keith Ong Skyler Goh Michael Huang Isaac Tah Joshua Tan Tobias Tan

LIBRARY & LOGISTICS Wu Tianhao HEAD Lee Jinjun Lee Yuru Edward Neo Preston Ng Isaac Tah Joshua Tan Isabel Tay

AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE Rayner Tan HEAD Lam Hoyan Estee Ng

FI NANCE Neo Wei Qing HEAD Calvin Dai Jonan Tan Edward Neo

S P O N S O R S H I P & PA RT N E R S H I P Edward Neo HEAD Rayner Tan

TECHNOLOGY Chay Choong HEAD Lam Yun En Tasya Rukmana

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Sibelius and Wagner 6 Nov 2026, 7.30pm Esplanade Concert Hall Singapore Symphony Orchestra Singapore Symphony Chorus Singapore Symphony Youth Choir Pietari Inkinen conductor Johanna Rusanen soprano Eudenice Palaruan choral director Wong Lai Foon choirmaster Terrence Wong surtitles

Sibelius Finlandia (with chorus) Selection of songs for soprano and orchestra Lemminkäinen’s Return Wagner (arr. Inkinen) Scenes from Götterdämmerung

Tickets from $15

Opera’s beloved, legendary Grammy-winning superstar, for one night only

Mad for Love 40th Anniversary Concert

조수미

SUMI JO

Abigail Sin, piano featuring guest musicians Andrew Beer, violin Chan Yoong Han, viola Cho Hang Oh, cello

Sunday 15 November 2026 | 7:30pm | Esplanade Concert Hall Tickets from SISTIC

OUR DONORS (2023 - 2026) OMM WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS OUR HEARTFELT APPRECIATION TO OUR DONORS AND PARTNERS FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT OVER THE YEARS. THIS HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ALLOWING OMM TO PIONEER AND CONTINUE WITH MANY EXCITING MUSICAL AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES.

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Kenneth Chan Kay Shan Kenny Ooi Khoo Kim Geok Jacqueline Koh Tien Gui Kuik Sing Beng Lee Guan Wei Daniel Lee Hyoseok Lena Ching Lim Tanguy Yuteck Loi Terway, Jesher Loy Kaixun Jeremy Nicholas Toh Zhen Yu Ong Kong Khoo P.Works Peter Yu Hin Pang Rajah Vijaya Kumar Raymond Robert Sim Weipien Revival Vintage Jewels & Objects Saurabh Agarwal Shaun Ho Sheyna Baig Sophie Ana binti Mohamed Harith Kassim Tatsu Works Pte Ltd Thuraisingam Sellathurai Vincent Ong Wei Gao Yap Seng Wee UP TO $1,000 Anonymous (28) Abigail Sin Amane Chu Yi Min Amelia Dizon Angela Lim Ai Lian Anne Elise Rifkin-Graboi Arvind Mathur Bai Yizhuo Beingessner Christopher Timothy Bennett Cao Taige Carin Chow Carol Lim Phek Nai Chan Hui-Ling Angelena Chan Wai Leong Chea Ruei-E Cheah Sui Ling Chew Sutat Chia Chee Boon Chia Miao Ting Genesis Chin Mei Kuan Chua Chun Hsien Nelson Chuan Hiang Teng Chung Phuong Dinh Claude Ludlow Cristina Bargan Darius Lim Kian Siong Deanna Wong Jia-Wei Derek Lim Dian Marissa Sumadi Diana Francoise Mei

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