John Rigby

Dr John Rigby is a conductor, musical supervisor and musicologist who initially studied orchestral conducting at the University of Huddersfield and the Royal Northern College of Music. He gained his PhD from Kings College London having researched the cultural resonances of Franz Lehár’s ‘Berlin’ operettas during the Weimar Republic. He also holds an honorary Doctor of Arts from Edge Hill University in recognition of his work in musical theatre and conducting.

West End credits include: An American in Paris (Dominion); Beautiful and Damned (Lyric); The Drowsy Chaperone (Novello); The King and I (Palladium); The Last Empress (Apollo, Hammersmith); Marguerite (Theatre Royal, Haymarket); Les Misérables (Palace and Queen’s Theatres); The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s); The Pirates of Penzance (Savoy); The Producers (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane); and Sinatra (Palladium).

As Musical Supervisor, he worked on the UK Tours of The Producers and The King and I; Cameron Mackintosh’s 25th Anniversary Tour of The Phantom of the Opera; the arena world tour of Jesus Christ Superstar; the new production of Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre; School of Rock at the Gillian Lynne Theatre; and the Russian première of Chess (Broadway Moscow Theatre Company).

Elsewhere, he has conducted Chess for English National Opera; Carmen Jones at London’s Royal Festival Hall; Madama Butterfly for Lyric Opera, Dublin; Carousel for Opera North; and Die Fledermaus for Opera Holland Park. He also enjoys regular concert engagements with orchestras including the BBC Concert Orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, the Hallé, the London Concert Orchestra, the Orchestra of Opera North, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Ulster Orchestra.

John Rigby was nominated for Best Musical Direction for the 2019 production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the 20th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards.