Richard Jones

English director Richard Jones made his Royal Opera debut in 1994, directing an award-winning production of Der Ring des Nibelungen. He has since returned to direct Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, L’Heure espagnole/Gianni Schicchi, The Gambler, Anna Nicole (world premiere), Il trittico, Gloriana and Boris Godunov. In the 2017/18 Season he directs a new production of La bohème for The Royal Opera.

Jones was born in London and studied anthropology at Hull University. He worked as a jazz musician before beginning his directing career in Glasgow with Scottish Opera and the Citizens’ Theatre. His many opera productions have included The Mastersingers of Nuremberg (Olivier Award winner), The Girl of the Golden West, Wozzeck and Hänsel und Gretel for Welsh National Opera, Don Giovanni, Rodelinda, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, Lulu, The Trojans and Julietta for English National Opera, Falstaff, Macbeth and Dove’s Flight for Glyndebourne Festival, Les Contes d’Hoffmann and Lohengrin for Bavarian State Opera, Billy Budd for Frankfurt Opera, Peter Grimes for La Scala, Milan, and La bohème for Bregenz Festival.

Jones has also worked prolifically in theatre, with credits including The Hairy Ape for the Old Vic, The Trial, Public Enemy, The Government Inspector, Annie Get Your Gun and The Good Soul of Szechuan for the Young Vic, A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Tales from the Vienna Woods for the National Theatre and Into the Woods in the West End. His many awards include an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera (2015).