 Lloyd-Jones founded and became the first Music Director of Opera North in 1978, forming its orchestra, the English Northern Philharmonia (now the Orchestra of Opera North), of which he became Artistic Director.Over the course of twelve seasons, he conducted over fifty productions in Leeds and other Northern England venues.Highlights of his career at Opera North included the first British performance of Krenek's "Jonny spielt auf" and the British stage première of Richard Strauss's "Daphne".