Richard Farnes
©Jack Liebeck
Nuance, dramatic heft and sheer thrill
‘I cannot recall any recent performance of Traviata conducted with such nuance, dramatic heft and sheer thrill’
Bachtrack
Richard Farnes brings meticulous attention to detail and dramatic sensitivity to opera and the concert platform, widely respected as a musicians’ conductor. His operatic repertoire spans Britten, Mozart, Verdi and Janáček through to Wagner, and he has worked with leading companies including the Royal Opera House, Glyndebourne, English National Opera and Metropolitan Opera. As Music Director of Opera North from 2004 to 2016, he led an ambitious semi-staged Ring Cycle across the UK, culminating in six complete cycles in 2016, to widespread acclaim. He has conducted orchestras across the UK and internationally, and his achievements have been recognised with the Royal Philharmonic Society Conductor of the Year Award and a CBE for services to music in 2026.
