The Ring Cycle 2026-30
Emboldened by the success of Tristan, Die Walküre and Flying Dutchman we have taken a deep collective breath and decided the time is ripe for the biggest challenge of all: his Ring Cycle.
Within the remarkable acoustics of the intimate five-tier opera house, this Ring Cycle will be directed and designed by Charles Edwards, who was critically acclaimed for our Tristan und Isolde and, in January, for his Puritani at the Met, New York.
The 70 distinguished players of the orchestra of English National Opera play for the entire Cycle (2026-2030), creating Wagner’s remarkable musical landscape, guided by conductor Anthony Negus, one of the leading Wagnerian exponents of our day. His protégé, Harry Sever, takes 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. It is the deranged dwarf Alberich, David Stout, who steals the gold and the trouble begins.
DIRECTOR & SET DESIGN ∙ CHARLES EDWARDS
COSTUME DESIGNER ∙ GABRIELLE DALTON
LIGHTING DESIGNER ∙ TIM MITCHELL
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ∙ GREG ELDRIDGE
Orchestra of English National Opera
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
FROH, her brother ∙ JAMES SCHOUTEN
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
