Grange Park Opera

Grange Park Opera announces that the Orchestra of English National Opera will play their entire Ring Cycle from 2026

Grange Park Opera (GPO) is delighted to announce a five-year orchestral partnership with the award-winning Orchestra of English National Opera (ENO).

Commencing next summer (2026), this dynamic pairing will take audiences through Richard Wagner’s epic Ring Cycle with annual performances of each of the four operas: Das Rheingold (2026), Die Walküre (2027), Siegfried (2028) and Götterdämmerung (2029), before concluding with the entire Ring Cycle in 2030.

The agreement will also see the Orchestra of ENO performing an additional opera each summer season, with Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Verdi’s ever-popular Don Carlo and Otello slated for Grange Park Opera’s ambitious programme.

For aficionados, the news carries added excitement as having the Orchestra of ENO play means that, once again, GPO will be the UK’s only summer season with a full 70-strong opera orchestra.

Grange Park Opera’s Ring Cycle will be directed and designed by Charles Edwards, who was critically acclaimed in 2023 for his staging of Tristan und Isolde. Conductors for the Cycle will include Anthony Negus, one of the leading Wagnerian exponents of our day, and his protégé Harry Sever.

The cast features renowned singers, including bass-baritone James Rutherford (Wotan), leading mezzo soprano Christine Rice (Fricka), charismatic baritone David Stout (Alberich), award-winning bass Matthew Rose (Fasolt) and one of today’s most prominent Wagnerian sopranos, Rachel Nicholls (Freia & Brunnhilde). The cast for the entire cycle is here.

The remarkable acoustics and intimacy of the five-tier opera house, allied with the versatility and experience of the Orchestra of ENO will be the perfect fit to create Wagner’s remarkable musical landscape. The audience will feel enveloped by the drama on stage and the magnificent, physical vibrations resonating from the 70 distinguished players in the orchestra pit.

Founder of Grange Park Opera, Wasfi Kani CBE says: “Members of the Orchestra of English National Opera are sensational musicians with opera in their bones. We are very lucky to have them grace our orchestra pit with their dynamism and deep understanding of opera”.

Jenny Mollica, Chief Executive Officer of English National Opera, comments: “Following the success of Mazeppa this summer, we are delighted to be continuing our orchestral partnership with Grange Park Opera for their Ring Cycle. The Orchestra of ENO are a group of highly versatile and acclaimed musicians, and we look forward to continuing to showcase their talent throughout the summer season with this exciting new partnership.”

For more information visit www.grangeparkopera.co.uk and follow the social media channels for regular news updates: X (formerly Twitter) @grangeparkopera / Facebook grangeparkoperasurrey /  Instagram @grangeparkopera

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Grange Park Opera was founded in 1998 by Wasfi Kani CBE. Since then, it has performed to over 300,000 people with 80 productions and 600 performances, during 26 seasons. Since 2017, productions take place in the newly built five-tiered, 650-seat opera house on the estate of the 14th century West Horsley Place, which was inherited by Bamber Gascoigne from his aunt, the Duchess of Roxburghe. The £11.5m cost of the building – was raised by Kani herself from private donations in just one year.

The Orchestra of English National Opera The award-winning orchestra is renowned for the versatility of its repertoire spanning four centuries, providing the musical landscape and emotion for all ENO productions. Benefiting from the experience and passion of its players, the Orchestra of ENO attracts some of the country’s brightest talent. Their exceptional stamina and commitment bring to life the complexities and colours of repertoire ranging from Gilbert & Sullivan to the output of contemporary giants Birtwistle, John Adams and Philip Glass.

IMAGES

High resolution images for media use can be downloaded here

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INTERVIEWS  
Tracy Jones, Brera PR – tracy@brera-london.com / 01702 216658 / 07887 514984 /www.brera-london.com

Enquiries for English National Opera, please contact:

Natasha Haddad at mediaenquiries@eno.org