 Press ReleaseWednesday 30 September 2026 THE ROYAL OPERA ANNOUNCES CASTING AND DATES FOR BARRIE KOSKY’S COMPLETE RING CYCLE On stage from 4 October–1 November 2027 On sale 10am Wednesday 17 March 2027 Become a member or upgrade for priority booking from 12 January 2027 The Royal Opera today announces casting and performance dates for the complete cycle of Richard Wagner‘s Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) in Barrie Kosky‘s acclaimed production, conducted by Music Director of The Royal Opera, Jakub Hrůša. This once-in-a-decade event celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026 and brings together all four operas of Wagner’s monumental masterpiece – Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung – in a single theatrical experience. The complete cycle crowns a remarkable artistic journey for the Company. Since the premiere of Das Rheingold in 2023, each instalment of Barrie Kosky‘s visionary new Ring has been met with critical acclaim, establishing the productions as one of the defining interpretations of the age. The cycle now comes together for the first time, allowing audiences to experience the full sweep of Wagner’s epic narrative as it was intended to be seen: 15 hours of incredible music over the course of a week.It also marks a significant moment in the musical life of The Royal Opera. Following his acclaimed leadership of the individual instalments, Conductor Laureate of The Royal Opera Antonio Pappano hands the baton to Hrůša, to conduct the complete cycle. With many singers from the original casts returning, Kosky’s production reimagines Wagner’s mythic world with psychological insight, theatrical imagination and striking visual storytelling, bringing fresh perspective to a work that continues to captivate audiences 150 years after its completion. Singers returning include Christopher Maltman, Elisabet Strid, Andreas Schager, Stanislas De Barbeyrac and Natalya Romaniw. Oliver Mears, Director of Opera, The Royal Opera, said: “To present a complete Ring cycle is one of the great milestones for any opera company. Following the astounding success of each chapter of Barrie Kosky’s extraordinary new production, it is thrilling to bring the full saga together for audiences to experience Wagner’s masterpiece in its entirety. With a generation of world-class Wagnerian performers bringing these roles to life, and under the musical leadership of Jakub Hrůša, this promises to be an unmissable journey through one of the most gripping, powerful and transformative dramas ever written for the stage.” Jakub Hrůša, Music Director of The Royal Opera said:“The opportunity to conduct the complete Ring of the Nibelung in Barrie Kosky’s production represents one of the greatest challenges of my artistic life. I have a profound love for Wagner’s musical language and for the extraordinary artistic and theatrical power of his work. It is a tremendous honour and source of deep personal fulfilment for me to conduct it. At the same time, I approach it with a real sense of trepidation and anticipation: doing the Ring cycle in a House I love, with artistic colleagues both on and off stage for whom I have the highest respect gives me both courage and confidence. Above all, I am enormously excited and cannot wait to embark on this extraordinary journey.” Barrie Kosky, Director of the Ring cycle said:“After many years of working on the four parts of this exciting journey, I am thrilled to be able to finally present the full cycle to London audiences. Working with Jakub Hrůša and our extraordinary ensemble of Wagner singers, I am really excited to bring our cycle together. There is nothing in opera that can compare to experiencing the overwhelming intensity of Wagner’s unique cosmos in one week.” Dates: Das Rheingold – 4, 11, 18, 25 October Die Walküre – 5, 12, 19, 27 October Siegfried – 7, 14, 21, 29 October Götterdämmerung – 10, 17, 24 October, 1 November CREATIVE TEAM Music Richard Wagner Conductor Jakub Hrůša Director Barrie Kosky Set Designer Rufus Didwiszus Costume Designer Victoria Behr Lighting Designer Alessandro Carletti Video Designer (Götterdämmerung) Roland Horvath/rocafilm CAST Das Rheingold Wotan Christopher Maltman Alberich Leigh Melrose Loge Sean Panikkar Fricka Marina Prudenskaya Freia Amy Ní Fhearraigh Voice of Erda Wiebke Lehmkuhl Donner Liam James Karai Froh Samuel Sakker Mime Brenton Ryan Fasolt In Sung Sim Fafner Soloman Howard Woglinde Sarah Brady Wellgunde Niamh O’Sullivan Flosshilde Marvic Monreal Approximate timings The performance lasts about 2 hours and 30mins with no interval. Guidance Suitable for ages 12+ This production contains scenes of nudity and depictions of blood and violence. Die Walküre Wotan Christopher Maltman Brünnnhilde Elisabet Strid Sieglinde Natalya Romaniw Siegmund Stanislas de Barbeyrac Fricka Marina Prudenskaya Hunding Soloman Howard Helmwige Katie Lowe Ortlinde Lee Bisset Gerhilde Catharine Woodward Waltraute Claire Barnett-Jones Siegrune Catherine Carby Rossweisse Alison Kettlewell Grimgerde Monika-Evelin Liiv Schwertleite Noa Beinart Approximate timings The performance will last approximately 5 hours and 35 minutes, including two intervals. Guidance Suitable for ages 12+ This opera contains themes of incest and domestic violence. This production contains scenes of nudity and depictions of blood, violence and death. Strobe lighting is used during Act I. Pyrotechnics are used during Act III. Siegfried Siegfried Andreas Schager Mime Peter Hoare Der Wanderer Christopher Maltman Brünnhilde Elisabet Strid Alberich Leigh Melrose Fafner Soloman Howard Erda Wiebke Lehmkuhl Woodbird Sarah Brady Approximate timings The performance will last approximately 5 hours and 45mins, including two intervals. Guidance Parental guidance recommended This performance contains nudity and violence. There are themes of incest. There are pyrotechnics used towards the end of Act I. Götterdämmerung Siegfried Andreas Schager Gunther Thomas Lehman Hagen Mika Kares Alberich Leigh Melrose Brünnhilde Elisabet Strid Gutrune Natalya Romaniw Waltraute Annika Schlicht First Norn Noa Beinart Second Norn Claire Barnett-Jones Third Norn Catharine Woodward Woglinde Sarah Brady Wellgunde Niamh O’Sullivan Flosshilde Marvic Monreal Approximate timings The performance lasts approximately 6 hours and 10 minutes, including two intervals. Guidance More information available soon. Royal Opera Chorus (only Götterdämmerung) Chorus Director William Spaulding Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Sung in German with English surtitles, which are displayed on screens above the stage and around the auditorium. |
