Artistic Director of The Grange Festival Opera

British bass Brindley Sherratt has been appointed Artistic Director of The Grange Festival, taking up the position this month and succeeding Michael Chance, who led the company since its founding in 2016 and stepped down at the end of the 2026 season.

Sherratt, described by the Financial Times and The Observer as "world-class," is known for roles spanning the operatic canon, from Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte to Claggart in Billy Budd, Baron Ochs in Der Rosenkavalier and Gurnemanz in Parsifal. He will continue to perform internationally alongside the new role, being more selective with engagements to balance both commitments. He opens as Gurnemanz in a new Royal Ballet and Opera production of Parsifal, directed by Evgeny Titov, on 1 October.

Sherratt has a long history with The Grange Festival, both as a performer and as an audience member. He said the appointment felt like a natural next chapter, and pointed to a recent fundraising gala he held on the Festival's stage in aid of The Meath Epilepsy Charity, which raised over £180,000 with the support of the local community.

The appointment was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees, alongside the naming of four new trustees: Karen Napier MBE, Edward Humphrey, Cathy Millis and Andrew Wickham. Sheila Wye, the Festival's Chief Financial Officer, has been named Interim Chief Executive following the departure of Tyler Stoops.

Board Chair Malcolm Le May welcomed Sherratt as an inspiring artistic leader for the Festival's next era, as it looks ahead to its tenth anniversary season in 2027. Full details of the 2027 programme will be announced in the coming weeks.