Simone Young to Make History at Bayreuth Festival

Young becomes the first Australian and first woman to conduct Wagner's Ring cycle at the prestigious event.

Simone Young will be the first Australian conductor to perform at the Bayreuth festival, and the first woman to conduct Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle at the festival.
Young is one of three female conductors participating in this year's festival, along with Oksana Lyniv and Nathalie Stutzmann.
Young will conduct three cycles of the four-opera work from July 28 to August 25, replacing Philippe Jordan who had to cancel due to other commitments.
Young is currently in her second season as chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and has held positions as principal conductor of the Bergen Philharmonic, artistic director of Opera Australia, and artistic director of the Hamburg State Opera.
Young's appointment to the Bayreuth festival is seen as a recognition of her status as one of the world's leading interpreters of Wagner's music.