English National Opera (ENO) has this morning announced full details of its 2018/19 season, which comprises five new productions and four revivals at the London Coliseum, alongside collaborations with the Unicorn Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East, and a gala performance celebrating 50 years of opera in residence at the London Coliseum.
ENO’s 2018/19 season is the first curated by Artistic Director Daniel Kramer and Music Director Martyn Brabbins, and will see 85 performances of opera at the Coliseum (increasing from 79 in the 17/18 season and 73 in the 16/17 season), opening with a bold and radical feminine interpretation of Strauss’s Salome.
New Productions
Salome
Sep 28 & Oct 3, 6, 12, 18, 23 at 19.30, Oct 20 at 18.30
The 18/19 season opens with a radical feminine reading of Strauss’s Salome from Australian director Adena Jacobs in her UK debut. Jacobs is the Artistic Director of Fraught Outfit, known in Australia for its stark reimaginings of classical and biblical stories from a contemporary feminine perspective. The all-female creative team is completed by award-winning Designer Marg Horwell and Lighting Designer Lucy Carter.
Scottish mezzo-soprano Allison Cook makes her ENO debut in the title role, alongside Susan Bickley as Herodias, English bass David Soar as Jokanaan and tenor Michael Colvin as Herod.
The ensemble of Jews, Nazarenes and soldiers includes members of ENO’s award-winning Chorus stepping into principal roles.
ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins conducts the first of his three engagements with the company this season.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
Porgy and Bess
Oct 11, 17, 19, 24, 26, 29, 31 & Nov 8, 14 at 19.30, Oct 13, 27 & Nov 10 at 18.30, Nov 3, 17 at 15.00
A co-production with the Metropolitan Opera, New York and Dutch National Opera, the Gershwins’ landmark Porgy and Bess is presented by ENO for the very first time, directed by Artistic Director at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis, James Robinson and conducted by John Wilson, who leads the ENO Orchestra for the first time.
American baritone Eric Greene returns to ENO to sing the role of Porgy, alongside BBC Cardiff Singer of the World 2005, Nicole Cabell, as Bess, in her ENO debut. Latonia Moore, Nmon Ford and Nadine Benjamin will also star.
The production will feature an ensemble of 40 singers, specially brought together for the project.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
War Requiem
Nov 16, 22, 27, 29 & Dec 4, 7 at 19.30
Marking the centenary of the November 1918 Armistice that brought an end to World War I, Benjamin Britten’s haunting War Requiem will be fully staged in the UK for the first time.
ENO Artistic Director Daniel Kramer will collaborate with Turner Prize-winning German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans to pay testament to the horrors and contemporary resonances of war through a combination of music, drama and visual arts.
ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins will conduct the combined forces of ENO’s Orchestra, 40-strong Finchley Children’s Music Group, the ENO Chorus and the ensemble from Porgy and Bess, as well as solo singers: Roderick Williams, David Butt Philip, and Emma Bell.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
The Merry Widow
Mar 1, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 22, 27, 29 & Apr 1, 4 at 19.30, Apr 13 at 15.00
Max Webster will make his ENO debut with a new production of Franz Lehár’s great comic operetta, The Merry Widow, conducted by Kristiina Poska, also in her ENO debut.
Sarah Tynan will returns for her second title role of the season as the eponymous widow, alongside ENO’s master of the comic buffo role, Andrew Shore, as Zeta, and former ENO Harewood Artist Rhian Lois as his wife, Valencienne. Baritone Nathan Gunn makes his ENO debut as Danilo, romantic hero and suitor to Hanna.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
Jack the Ripper
Mar 30 & Apr 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 at 19.30
ENO will then present the world premiere of Iain Bell and Emma Jenkins’ new work, Jack the Ripper: The Women of Whitechapel, drawing together some of Britain’s finest female singers for a sympathetic exploration of womanhood in London’s East End, and depicting the stories and history of those killed by the famous Whitechapel murderer.
The central female roles will be created by some of the UK’s most esteemed singers, including Dame Josephine Barstow, Susan Bullock, Janis Kelly, Lesley Garrett and Marie McLaughlin. Alan Opie creates the role of the Pathologist, 50 years after his ENO debut, with former ENO Harewood Artist Nicky Spence singing Sergeant Johnny Strong. Claudia Boyle returns following her performances in the 2017/18 season’s La traviata.
Jack the Ripper: The Women of Whitechapel is directed by ENO Artistic Director Daniel Kramer and conducted by ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
Revivals at the London Coliseum
ENO will present four revival productions during the 2018/19 season, beginning with David Alden’s production of Donizetti’s Scottish tragedy Lucia di Lammermoor. Sarah Tynan will star in the title role, alongside American baritone Lester Lynch, and Mexican tenor Eleazar Rodríguez. Stuart Stratford, Music Director at Scottish Opera, conducts.
Jonathan Miller’s enchanting La bohème, set in 1930s Paris, will return to the Coliseum stage once again with award-winning Welsh soprano Natalya Romaniw making her ENO debut as Mimí. The production will co-star Jonathan Tetelman as Rodolfo, Baritone Nicholas Lester as Marcello and Nadine Benjamin as Musetta. David Soar will sing Colline. British conductor Alexander Joel will make his ENO debut.
Winner of the 2017 Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production, Phelim McDermott’s sell-out production of Philip Glass‘ minimalist epic, Akhnaten, will open ENO’s 2019 Spring Season, featuring designs by Tom Pye, costume designs by Kevin Pollard and lighting by Bruno Poet. The ENO Chorus is re-joined by the Gandini Juggling Company. Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo once again sings the title role, with ENO Harewood Artist Katie Stevenson as his wife Nefertiti and Keel Watson as Aye. Rebecca Bottone, James Cleverton and Colin Judson reprise their roles as Tye, Horemhamb and the Priest of Amon. Karen Kamensek conducts.
Simon McBurney’s much-loved production of The Magic Flute returns for its second revival. ENO’s innovative collaboration with Complicite provides features foley artist, projections and spectacular visual effects accompanying some of Mozart’s most sublime music. Lucy Crowe returns to the role of Pamina, alongside Rupert Charlesworth as Tamino and Thomas Oliemans as Papageno. Soprano Julia Bauer makes her house debut as the villainous Queen of the Night. The Three Ladies are performed by former and current ENO Harewood Artists Eleanor Dennis, Samantha Price and Katie Stevenson. Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Ben Gernon makes his ENO debut.
Opera for All: celebrating 50 years of opera at the London Coliseum
On 10 October, 2018, ENO will present a very special evening of performances celebrating the last 50 years of opera in residence at the London Coliseum.
The performance will feature moments from operas that have played an important part in ENO’s history, including Britten’s Peter Grimes, Handel’s Julius Caesar, Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado and Wagner’s Ring Cycle. Artists appearing on the night include baritones Alan Opie and Andrew Shore, tenors Nicky Spence and Gwyn Hughes Jones, mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly and sopranos Susan Bullock and Claire Rutter, as well as ENO Harewood Artists and the award-winning ENO Chorus and Orchestra. Further special guests will be announced soon.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
ENO Outside
In May 2019 ENO will collaborate with the Unicorn Theatre, the UK’s leading theatre for young audiences, to create Dido, a reimagining of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, directed by the Unicorn’s former Artistic Director Purni Morell and designed by 2017 Linbury Prize Winner Khadija Raza. ENO Mackerras Conducting Fellow Valentina Peleggi will conduct.
In July 2019 ENO will collaborate for the first time with Theatre Royal Stratford East to present Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Fludde. Drawing together professional performers with community choirs, amateur musicians, participants from our ENO Baylis programme and groups of young people from across Newham, Noye’s Fludde will be directed by National Theatre Associate Lyndsey Turner.
For more information, and to book tickets, please Click Here.
