The Royal Opera Announces Casting and Dates for Barrie Kosky's Complete Ring cycle
By Ruth Haines, Head of Opera Press
Wednesday 30 September 2026
The Royal Opera announces casting and performance dates for the complete cycle of Richard Wagner's Ring cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), directed by Barrie Kosky and conducted by Music Director of The Royal Opera, Jakub Hrůša.
This once-in-a-decade event celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2026 and will bring together all four operas of Wagner's monumental masterpiece - Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried and Götterdämmerung - in a single theatrical experience. The complete Ring cycle will run on the Main Stage from 4 October to 1 November 2027. General booking opens on 17 March 2027.
The Royal Opera's Complete Ring cycle
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.
The Ring cycle will also mark 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 will hand the baton to Jakub Hrůša, to conduct the complete cycle.
The Ring cycle Cast
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. Throughout the cycle, many singers from the original casts will return to their roles, include Christopher Maltman, Elisabet Strid, Andreas Schager, Stanislas De Barbeyrac and Natalya Romaniw.
Discover more about the Ring cycle
To learn more about the history, music and story of Wagner’s extraordinary Ring cycle, read our Opera Essentials: Ring Cycle
The first two instalments of Barrie Kosky's Ring cycle, Das Rheingold and Die Walküre, are also available to watch now on RBO Stream.
