The Ring Cycle
JUNE 2026 – JULY 2030
The acoustic and intimacy of our five-storey opera house have been deemed exceptional for Wagner’s sound world.
Emboldened by the success of Tristan, Die Walküre and Flying Dutchman, we have decided the time is ripe for the biggest challenge of all: his Ring Cycle.
2026 Das Rheingold
2027 Die Walküre
2028 Siegfried
2029 Götterdämmerung
2030 The Ring Cycle
Conductors for the cycle include Anthony Negus, one of the leading Wagnerian exponents of our day.
It is director / designer Charlie Edwards (whose new Puritani production goes to the Met late in 2025) who must take on the challenge of The Ring Cycle‘s extraordinary theatrical demands.
A magic helmet makes people disappear; a man is transformed into a snake – quickly followed by a toad; the Rhine overflows its banks and cleanses the world.
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.
This cast is completed by Matthew Rose and David Shipley as the giants, outsmarted by Mark Le Brocq as Loge, the god of Fire and David Stout as the dwarf Alberich, stealing the gold to rule the world.
So buckle up, Wagnerians!
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.’
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 ∙ SIMON BAILEY
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
Some recommended reading
Richard Wagner
My Life
Brigitte Hamann
Winifred Wagner
Michael White
Introducing Wagner: A graphic guide