 During the 1980s WNO continued to expand in scope . Handel ( <unk> , 1981 ) and <unk> ( The Greek Passion , 1981 ) were added to the company 's repertoire , and in 1983 Das <unk> was staged in the WNO 's first Ring cycle , followed by the other three operas of the cycle over the next two years . Das <unk> , Siegfried and <unk> were conducted by the company 's musical director , Richard Armstrong ; Die <unk> ( 1984 ) was conducted by Goodall ; it was seen as a coup for the company to secure his services – he was described by The Guardian as the greatest living <unk> conductor – but the casting of the whole cycle was criticised for some serious weaknesses among the principal singers , and reviewers were generally unimpressed by <unk> <unk> 's production . 
