Ryan Brown is the founder, conductor and artistic director of Opera Lafayette. Through his work with the company, Brown has gained an international reputation for his interpretations of French opera, and for his role in the revival of significant works from the 18th and 19th centuries. Brown’s discography of recordings for Naxos includes operas by Rameau, Francoeur, Gluck, Lully, Sacchini, Monsigny and Grétry.

He was widely lauded for the modern premiere and recording of Félicien David’s 1862 opera Lalla-Roukh, and his frequent performances of Italian works have also been met with great acclaim. In 2014 Brown returned to the Royal Opera of Versailles, leading Opera Lafayette in Philidor’s Les Femmes vengées and Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and in 2015 conducted Vivaldi’s Catone in Utica at the Glimmerglass Festival.

Brown was raised in a musical family in California, and performed extensively as a violinist and chamber musician before turning to conducting. He is a recipient of La Médaille d’Or du Rayonnement Culturel from La Renaissance Française.

A Pilgrim’s Progress – Jeremy Siepmann talks to the conductor Ryan Brown