The Ring Cycle
JUNE 2026 – JULY 2030
Buckle up, Wagnerians – booking opens Tue 15 July 2025
2026 Das Rheingold
2027 Die Walküre
2028 Siegfried
2029 Götterdämmerung
2030 The Ring Cycle
A magic helmet makes people disappear; a man is transformed into a snake – quickly followed by a toad; the Rhine bursts its banks and cleanses the world.
Director / designer Charlie Edwards has a new Puritani production at the Met late in 2025. He tackles The Ring Cycle’s extraordinary theatrical demands in our intimate five-storey opera house.
One of the leading Wagnerian exponents of our day, Anthony Negus, guides this Cycle with his protégé, Harry Sever, taking the baton for Das Rheingold and Die Walkure.
An outstanding cast is led by James Rutherford as Wotan, ruler of the Gods, married to the Fricka of Christine Rice. Her sister Freia is played by Rachel Nicholls, our Brünnhilde for the remainder of the cycle.
Cast & Creatives
DIRECTOR & SET DESIGN ∙ CHARLES EDWARDS
COSTUME DESIGNER ∙ GABRIELLE DALTON
LIGHTING DESIGNER ∙ TIM MITCHELL
Das Rheingold 2026
CONDUCTOR ∙ HARRY SEVER
WOTAN, ruler of the gods ∙ JAMES RUTHERFORD
FRICKA, his wife ∙ CHRISTINE RICE
FREIA, her sister ∙ RACHEL NICHOLLS
DONNER, her brother ∙ THOMAS ISHERWOOD
ALBERICH, lord of the Nibelungs ∙ DAVID STOUT
MIME, his brother ∙ ADRIAN THOMPSON
FASOLT, giant, in love with Freia ∙ MATTHEW ROSE
FAFNER, his brother ∙ DAVID SHIPLEY
LOGE, demi-god of fire ∙ MARK LE BROCQ
ERDA, Earth goddess ∙ SARA FULGONI
Die Walküre 2027
CONDUCTOR ∙ HARRY SEVER
WOTAN, ruler of the gods ∙ JAMES RUTHERFORD
FRICKA, his wife ∙ CHRISTINE RICE
SIEGMUND, Wotan’s son ∙ GWYN HUGHES JONES
SIEGLINDE, Siegmund’s twin sister ∙ GISELLE ALLEN
HUNDING, Sieglinde’s husband ∙ JULIAN CLOSE
BRUNNHILDE, Wotan’s daughter ∙ RACHEL NICHOLLS
Siegfried 2028
CONDUCTOR ∙ ANTHONY NEGUS
SIEGFRIED, son of Siegmund & Sieglinde ∙ BRAD COOPER
WOTAN, disguised as the Wanderer ∙ JAMES RUTHERFORD
BRUNNHILDE, his daughter ∙ RACHEL NICHOLLS
ALBERICH, lord of the Nibelungs ∙ DAVID STOUT
MIME, his brother ∙ PETER HOARE
Götterdämmerung 2029
CONDUCTOR ∙ ANTHONY NEGUS
SIEGFRIED, son of Siegmund & Sieglinde ∙ BRAD COOPER
BRUNNHILDE, Wotan’s daughter ∙ RACHEL NICHOLLS
HAGEN, Alberich’s son ∙ CHRISTIAN VALLE
Charlie Edwards:
‘I travelled, aged 16, to Bayreuth. I couldn’t see any operas but I saw models of the original designs and how Wagner imagined The Ring. The beauty and mystery of these designs inspire me. Later that year I did see Rheingold on my first visit to the Royal Opera House and I became obsessed.
For 40 years, I’ve listened to every great conductor and never stopped thinking about the drama, dreaming up designs. The Ring deals with colossal issues: power, love, destruction and death. But it is not only a tragedy – some of it is actually comic. Wagner’ perception of humanity in all its contortions is profound and prophetic. He was the greatest, revolutionary theatre-maker.’
Some recommended reading
Richard Wagner
My Life
Brigitte Hamann
Winifred Wagner
Michael White
Introducing Wagner: A graphic guide