Around the Music Festival

The Longborough Festival Opera has announced that it will appoint British conductor Christopher Word as its new music director. His term will begin with the 2027 festival, succeeding Anthony Negus, who has held the position since 2000 and will retire in 2026. Negus will become conductor emeritus from 2027.

Word, 45, studied at Tonebridge School, Oxford University, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has worked as an assistant to Simon Rattle and Kent Nagano, conducted at the Saarbrücken State Theatre, and served as the music director of the Aachen Opera from 2018 to 2025. In Aachen, he garnered international attention with several recording projects, including the world premiere recordings of works by the local composer and conductor Leo Brecht.

The festival was founded in 1991 by Martin and Lizzie Graham. Initially, concerts were held at the couple’s home, but in 1997, they built a 500-seat opera house modeled after the Bayreuth Festival Theatre, and have continued to stage Wagner’s works, which is rare in the UK.

PHOTO：Aachener Sinfoniker　/　Andreas Steindl