If each of the British 'country house' opera companies have their speciality, Longborough's has to be its commitment to Wagner. LFO is the first privately owned opera house to mount a production of Wagner's Ring Cycle. LFO's Artistic Director, Alan Privett, used the reduced version prepared by Graham Vick and Jonathan Dove for the City of Birmingham Touring Opera company.

This version of The Ring Cycle, using an orchestra of about 20 players suited the facilities at Longborough down to the ground and culminated in performances of all four operas in 2002, including a Cambridge tour, and again in 2004, with the legendary Sir Donald McIntyre as Wotan and Anthony Negus on the rostrum, to great acclaim:

"...make no mistake about it, this is some achievement" - Michael Kennedy, Sunday Telegraph

"..One feels that even Wagner would secretly have approved" - Derek Jole, Oxford Times

This opera season's most sensational coup has to be Martin Graham's Longborough Festival Opera luring Sir Donald McIntyre to take up Wotan's staff once more. McIntyre's Wotan is massive, and simply the best.” – Roderic Dunnett - The Independent –2004

Sir Donald McIntyre's magnificent bass-baritone voice came ringing out and his authority, experience and sense of drama held us. A deeply moving event, one I shall never forget” David Fingleton – Sunday Express –2004.

In 2005 the orchestra pit at Longborough was expanded and improved, using Bayreuth’s pit as a model.  The 2007 season featured the first instalment of our new full-length Ring Cycle. Das Rheingold was sung in German and had an orchestra of 60 players conducted by Anthony Negus. Alan Privett directed and the set was designed by Kjell Torriset.  Das Rheingold returns in 2008 for a further three performances.