Wagner fans will travel the globe to attend productions of his Ring Cycle. Between 1977 and 1984 the Pacific Northwest Festival in Seattle mounted the entire Ring Cycle, one week performed in German and then the following week in English. For creator, Glynn Ross this project was an extraordinary achievement. Fans, critics and impresarios from around the world came to hear and see this remarkable feat. Outside of Bayreuth, the Pacific Northwest Festival crafted their ambition and achieved a production that could rival any opera house in the world. The budget was slim, but the payoff from the respect that this project earned was huge.

Over the past several years a small independent opera company in London, Regents Opera, have realized a similar vision. And with it, Conductor, Ben Woodward has made musical history. With his tenacious approach to private fund raising and use of a smaller orchestra, Maestro Woodward has managed to build Regent Opera’s Ring Cycle into a triumphant production.

With his own orchestral arrangement of Wagner’s masterpiece scaled down to 22 players, Maestro Woodward has managed to keep the required rich sound while staying within budgetary requirements.