Introducing the first major production of our 2025 program: a wildly entertaining new opera inspired by the extraordinary lives of Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn, the legendary Las Vegas duo who became one of the hottest magic acts in entertainment history.
This unique show will blend powerful vocals, live magic and spectacular theatricality to tell their remarkable story, capturing the pair's improbable rise to stardom and the tender vulnerability at the heart of their journey.
Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera is written by New York trained composer-librettist Luke Di Somma (The Unruly Tourist, New Zealand Opera) and directed by Constantine Costi, following his acclaimed production of Puccini’s Il Tabarro at Sydney Festival 2024.
Siegfried and Roy's iconic looks will be realised by Tony and Oscar award-winning costume designer Tim Chappel (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert).
Our Festival Director Olivia Ansell says,
“This scintillating chamber opera by maverick writers Luke Di Somma and Con Costi chronicles the rags-to-riches journey of Siegfried and Roy, who became one of the highest grossing and most exotic acts in Las Vegas.
"Staged in our dedicated cabaret room at The Thirsty Mile, I’m certain this wickedly entertaining and larger-than-life spectacle will resonate with both seasoned opera enthusiasts and those new to the artform.”
A captivating story
“There is no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.” - Siegfried & Roy
A perfectionist by nature, Siegfried's expertise lay in intricate and elaborate illusions. Roy's passion was the animals; he brought the big-picture thinking – and the big cats. Once lovers but enduring best friends and business partners, together the pair became a co-dependant yet unstoppable force in entertainment.
The tale of the duo's life hardly needs embellishment for the stage, so incredible are the true facts. In our unauthorised operatic telling, the first act charts the duo's rise from childhood in rural Germany to become reigning kings of Vegaz showbiz. The second act takes place on the night of the infamous on-stage tiger attack which hospitalised Roy and nearly took his life.
This is a story of love and loyalty, fame and ambition, eccentricity and excess; grandiose and ultimately – tragic. Tigers are wild animals, after all.
Why opera?
Director Constantine Costi says:
“Why should this be an opera? Why isn’t this a TV show or a miniseries or a play or even a musical? I think there are two answers. Firstly, I do believe if we could consult Siegfried and Roy themselves they would say their story has to be an opera, with all of the splendour and grandeur. And secondly, there is something unique in the operatic medium – and particularly in the range, the scope, the beauty of what opera can do. And I think it lends itself to this big and – no pun intended – Wagnerian subject matter."
"This is the future of opera – to keep it accessible and exciting and relevant and bursting with possibilities. And finding a story that is as charming, accessible, bonkers and delicious as Siegfried and Roy.”
An eclectic score
Composer and librettist Luke Di Somma says,
“The score is deliberately very eclectic. I've drawn inspiration from Bavaria, the cruise ship [where Siegfried and Roy met], Monte Carlo, Las Vegas... The musical possibilities are really exciting."
“My influences on this piece are many and varied – from contemporary opera composers like Mark Anthony-Turnage to classical musical theatre writers like Sondheim and Bernstein; from Weill to Frank Sinatra, this score will be dipping into all sorts of musical styles to hook us into the world that we’re in, to show the progression of time, but with the production still very much composed and conceived in an overarching operatic way.”
Introducing the cast
Taking on the role of Roy is Kanen Breen, one of Australia’s leading operatic tenors, who has starred in major roles including Camille in The Merry Widow, Monostatos in The Magic Flute, and Willy Wonka in Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.
He is joined by Christopher Tonkin as Siegfried, an acclaimed Australian baritone with international recognition for roles such as Marcello in La Bohème and Chou En-lai in Nixon in China. Tonkin has performed in over 30 roles, including a six-year residency as principal baritone at Staatsoper Hannover, Germany.
The cast also features some of the country's brightest talents; Cathy-Di Zhang, Louis Hurley, Russell Harcourt and Simon Lobelson.
Siegfried & Roy: The Unauthorised Opera will run from 8 – 25 January 2025, at Wharf 1 Theatre – Sydney Theatre Company, Walsh Bay (The Thirsty Mile).
Our sincere thanks to Robyn Martin-Weber, Andrew Cameron AM and Cathy Cameron and all the Sydney Festival Donors who helped to make this production possible.
Learn more about our philanthropic program here.
