The English National Opera, one of the largest British operatic institutions and a famous international opera stage, is going through hard times now. After several years of poor economic performance and the recent resignation of its CEO, ENO has lost its £12.6 million core annual funding from Arts Council England starting next year. Instead, the opera house was proposed to {…}
Photo: © Lloyd Winters Unlike ballet, which has “The Nutcracker” as a festive staple, there aren’t very many Christmas operas. “La bohème” opens on Christmas eve, and there is invariably snow, but yuletide is hardly the subject of the opera. ENO were scheduled to perform John Adams nativity oratorio “El Niño” during lockdown, but it sadly got canned. Along comes {…}
Photo credit: ENO 2022 © Tristram Kenton Gilbert and Sullivan have become English National Opera (ENO) staples. Jonathan Miller’s much-revived radical “The Mikado” in the ’80s provided the template: serious singers and serious comedy. In recent years cultural heavyweights like Mike Leigh have created productions for the company. The last two shows—“Iolanthe” and “HMS Pinafore”—were directed by Cal McCrystal, most {…}
Peter Gelb has written an open letter to the Arts Council England via Telegraph following the council’s decision to cut funding from the English National Opera. In the letter, the Metropolitan Opera General Manager said, “The Arts Council’s decision to cut funding entirely for the English National Opera (ENO) and tell the company to move to Manchester (Letters, November 19) {…}
Sir Bryn Terfel Jones, CBE has begun a petition against the Arts Council England’s decision to cut funding from the English National Opera. The petition is directed at the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Michelle Donelan who announced the decision on Nov. 4, 2022. The petition says, “We call on the Government to radically rethink removing the {…}
Following the final performance of “Tosca” on Nov. 4 at the English National Opera, soloists protested the Art Council England’s decision to cut its funding. The soloists took to their bows all wearing “Choose Opera” t-shirts. The symbolic bow came a few hours after the Arts Council said it would not give the ENO its annual fund of £12.6 million. {…}
The English National Opera has lost its £12.6 million core annual funding from Arts Council England. The news comes as the arts council announced its funding for the next three years which focused on moving funds outside of Central London. Instead, the ENO will receive £17m over three years to “develop a new business model” and has suggested it will {…}
The English National Opera has announced that Stuart Murphy, current Chief Executive of the ENO and London Coliseum, will leave the company in September 2023. Murphy’s five-year contract comes to an end in April 2023 but he will remain in his post until September to allow for a smooth transition. The company said that it will start looking for Stuart’s {…}
Photo: © Genevieve Girling Christof Loy’s new production of “Tosca” for English National Opera, which first appeared in Helsinki in 2018, replaces Catherine Malfitano’s show, which received two revivals during its tenure and last appeared on the Coliseum stage in 2016. The production sees Leo Hussain return to the Coliseum pit – a distinguished Music Director of Opéra de Rouen and {…}
(Photo: Catherine Ashmore) Such has been the success of Margret Atwood’s novel “The Handmaid’s Tale” that, since its publication in 1985, it now finds itself positioned alongside other major 20th century dystopian novels, drawing comparisons with Orwell’s “1984” and Huxley’s “Brave New World.” Like them, it has entered the cultural mainstream, spawning plays, films, a ballet, a major television series, {…}
The English National Opera has announced its 2022-23 season featuring eight productions and seven operas. Leo Hussain conducts Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Christof Loy. The cast will include Sinéad Campbell-Wallace, Adam Smith, and Noel Bouley. Performance Dates: Sept. 30–Nov. 4 2022 Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Yeomen of the Guard” will include Anthony Gregory, Neal Davies, Alexandra Oomens, Heather {…}