Highly Effective

Talk about going out in style. Richard Farnes is about to step down as Music Director of Opera North, and as farewell gestures go, six complete performances of Wagner's Ring cycle on tour is about as flamboyant as they come. Opera North has been piecing the cycle together since 2011, and following two complete runs in the company's Leeds base, beginning at the end of April, is now taking it to four other venues around the country. (Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, UK, 6-11 June 2016; other venue details below.)