Lionel Friend

Biography

Lionel Friend, an experienced opera conductor and coach, began his career working with Welsh National Opera and Glyndebourne Festival Opera. For three years he was a Kapellmeister at the Staatstheater in Kassel, Germany, before spending thirteen years as Staff Conductor at English National Opera. He also worked at the Bayreuth Festival, where he was assistant to Daniel Barenboim, and has made Wagner something of a speciality. In addition to the UK, he has conducted opera in Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Poland, Australia and the USA. In the concert hall and recording studio he has worked with many distinguished ensembles and orchestras all over the world.

Also active as pianist and coach, he is on the regular visiting staff at the Royal College of Music and here at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. From 2003 to 2010 was Conductor in Residence at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where he is now Conductor Emeritus, and from 2015 to 2020 was Music Director of British Youth Opera.