Of the four "Ring" operas, "Siegfried" is usually the most problematic. It has a callow hero who slays his whining, conniving villain of a surrogate father; it also has a long running time (about five hours) and considerably less action than the first two operas. And the title role, requiring a singer with the stamina of a triathlete, is almost impossible to sing.

That's why a triumphant "Siegfried" production is always a bit of a shock. Wednesday's "Ring" audience encountered just such a show, one in which almost everything worked wonderfully.

It took Alan Woodrow two mighty whacks of the sword to cleave the anvil with his newly forged weapon (that anvil might need a shot of WD-40), but it finally fell apart most convincingly. Fortunately, nothing else fell apart, certainly not Woodrow's Siegfried. A stalwart and surprisingly melodious singer, he is an athletic and wryly humorous actor, making Siegfried more self-aware and less boorishly boastful than usual. He earned waves of laughter with such touches as rotating his horn (in the manner of orchestral French horn players, who are clearing their instruments of water) before "playing" the famous horn calls (beautifully executed from the orchestra by Mark Robbins).

Thomas Harper gave a masterly characterization of the nasty Mime, unloved and unlovable, who schemes to use Siegfried for his own ends. Harper's scene with Richard Paul Fink (as Mime's brother Alberich) was a little serio-comic gem, with both connivers positively gibbering with rage, leaping up and down with fury and disgust.

Stage director Stephen Wadsworth has made sure that the same emotional energy informs all the other scenes, large or small, major or peripheral. As Erda, Ewa Podles had only one short scene, but she grabbed the audience by its collective collars with singing of such visceral magnitude that you couldn't imagine your attention drifting for a single second.

Greer Grimsley had another fine night as Wotan, roaming the earth as the Wanderer, and demonstrating his ability to evolve the character (over the course of three operas) into one of both maturity and resignation. Gidon Saks was a sonorous, effective Fafner, and Wendy Hill (also one of the Rhinemaidens from elsewhere in the "Ring") was the Forest Bird.

The brilliantly staged fight scene between Siegfried and the drooling, winged dragon was the dramatic highlight of the show, with Siegfried initially attacking the tail of the dragon — while the business end of the beast crept up on him from the opposite direction, tusks and all.

Loud roars of approval greeted each act when conductor Robert Spano entered the orchestra pit, where he continues to work magic with the players in imaginative, vibrant, well-paced performances.

Once again, the Brünnhilde of Jane Eaglen was a consistent pleasure to hear. She poured out phrase after phrase of resplendent tone and incredible amplitude, making the role sound easy; she scored some of her most telling points, however, in pianissimo (as in her moving "Ewig war ich"). Her acting has simplicity and honesty.

Not everything was perfect: Woodrow had a few minor pitch problems, and Harper had trouble making his lower notes (anything below a D) audible. These are small points, however, in a production of overall brilliance. Dazed Wagnerites emerged from McCaw Hall wearing the blissed-out look you only get when the "Ring" is well and truly rung.

Melinda Bargreen: mbargreen@seattletimes.com