Longborough Festival Opera has appointed conductor CHRISTOPHER WARD as its new Music Director from the 2027 season.
London-born Ward joins Longborough Festival Opera (LFO) from Theater Aachen and Sinfonieorchester Aachen, where he has served as General Music Director since 2018. He brings more than two decades of experience working at leading German opera houses, alongside a broad international guest conducting career that includes appearances at Staatsoper Hamburg, Komische Oper Berlin, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Staatsoper Prague and Welsh National Opera.
Ward’s appointment follows an extensive international recruitment process, conducted with artistic consultant Naomi Russell of Bird By Bird Projects, and comes at a significant moment for LFO as it approaches the 30th anniversary of its purpose-built theatre and looks ahead to an ambitious and exciting future.
Ward succeeds Anthony Negus, who has been Music Director of LFO for more than two decades and was part of the recruitment panel. Negus will become Conductor Laureate in 2027, conducting the company’s anniversary production of Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
Emily Gottlieb, Executive Director of LFO, said:
“We are thrilled to announce Christopher Ward as our new Music Director. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Longborough Festival Opera, as we approach the 30th anniversary of our theatre, celebrate three decades of the festival’s remarkable achievements, and look ahead to an exciting future.”
Speaking about what stood out to the panel, Emily continued:
“Christopher impressed us with his sensitive and collaborative personal style, his deep commitment to musical excellence and his passion for nurturing new talent. Just as importantly, he shares our bold and ambitious vision for Longborough. I am very much looking forward to working with both Polly and Christopher to create and deliver inspiring, compelling work for our artists and audiences.”
Artistic Director Polly Graham said:
“We are delighted to welcome Christopher into Longborough’s artistic family. His extensive leadership experience and broad knowledge of the repertoire - from baroque to contemporary, as well as late Romantic opera, including that of Richard Wagner, will enrich and embolden the work of our entire festival. His collaborative, imaginative and deeply intelligent approach to opera is exactly what this art form needs. Christopher is a worthy successor to Anthony Negus, whom we continue to treasure as he steps into his new position as Conductor Laureate.”
Andrew Mosely, Chair of LFO said:
“I am absolutely delighted that Christopher Ward has accepted the position of Music Director. He has deep experience in the repertory that lies at the heart of Longborough’s identity, whilst also having conducted an exceptionally broad body of music across different styles and eras. His work in assisting Simon Rattle on Das Rheingold and Kent Nagano on many Wagner productions at the Bavarian State Opera (including a full Ring Cycle) have been pivotal to his development as a Wagnerian musician, providing continuity with the extraordinary artistic legacy that Anthony Negus has built with us. Christopher shares our belief, and that of our founder Martin Graham, that opera is a truly extraordinary art form that should be available and accessible to everyone. We look forward to the creativity, commitment and audacity that he will bring to Longborough in this exciting new chapter.”
Anthony Negus, who was part of the recruitment panel, welcomed the appointment:
“Christopher Ward is a thoughtful and sympathetic musician, with a genuine interest in – and admiration for – Longborough Festival Opera. Over more than a decade as MD in Aachen (where Karajan began his career before the war), he has gained invaluable experience across a wide range of opera and concert repertoire, as well as in planning whole seasons. I heard him conduct Bruckner 4th Symphony with the Orchestra of WNO and can vouch for his musical sensitivity and understanding of the long line, as well as his respect for the players. I am confident that Longborough’s musical standards will be in imaginative and capable hands, and in my new role as Conductor Laureate I look forward to a happy and productive collaboration.”
Commenting on his appointment, Christopher Ward said:
“Longborough Festival Opera, founded through the bold vision and dedication of Martin and Lizzie Graham, is a truly special place. Over the years it has built deep and loyal relationships with its audiences while remaining firmly committed to nurturing the audiences of the future through its far-reaching education and community work.
“In meeting the Longborough team, I was immediately struck by their collective enthusiasm for the festival and by the innovative, collaborative spirit that has shaped it into the remarkable annual event it is today. I am hugely excited to become part of that team and to bring home the experience I have gained over two decades working within the German opera house system – particularly in the Wagner repertoire.
“Together with the staff, artists and the Longborough Festival Orchestra I look forward to helping continue Longborough’s journey of offering audiences exceptional theatrical and musical experiences, combined with the uniquely warm welcome that defines the festival, set amidst the beauty of the Cotswolds landscape.”
Audiences will have an opportunity to find out more about Longborough Festival Opera’s ambitious future plans at their upcoming 2026 season launches in Kirtlington, Oxfordshireand London in April. For more information and to book online please visit www.lfo.org.uk/whats-on.
The 2026 Festival opens on 30 May with a new production of Handel’s Orlando, and continues until 8 August with Verdi’s Macbeth, Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel and Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde.
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