The London Coliseum, home of English National Opera

English National Opera (ENO), located at the London Coliseum in St. Martin's Lane is the national opera company of England, and one of two opera companies in London, along with the Royal Opera at Covent Garden. It is famous for a hugely theatrical style of opera presentation, for attracting talented lesser-known singers, often in modern productions, and for singing in English. It also has relatively low ticket prices for large-scale opera. Download high resolution version (500x666, 77 KB)The London Coliseum, Home of the English National Opera, following refurbishment in 2004. ... Download high resolution version (500x666, 77 KB)The London Coliseum, Home of the English National Opera, following refurbishment in 2004. ... The London Coliseum The Coliseum Theatre is one of Londons largest and best equipped theatres, opening in 1904. ... St. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is a performing arts venue in London. ... Covent Garden is a district in central London and within the easterly bounds of the City of Westminster. ...

ENO mounted sixteen productions in its 05-06 season with an annual paid attendance of 216,236.^[1]

History

In 1898, Lilian Baylis presented a series of opera concerts at the Old Vic theatre. Some ten years later, she established a theatre company there, initially performing 'cut-down' versions of Shakespeare's plays. Having added a small group of dancers to the company (a group which later separated from Vic-Wells and became the Royal Ballet); Sadler's Wells Theatre opened and the Vic-Wells Opera Company was formed. The Old Vic Theatre. ... The exterior of the Old Vic from the corner of Baylis Road and Waterloo Road. ... Shakespeare redirects here. ... Royal Ballet may refer to: Royal Ballet, London Birmingham Royal Ballet Royal Winnipeg Ballet Royal Danish Ballet There is also an article about the Royal Ballet School in London, England. ... Sadlers Wells theatre, 2005 Sadlers Wells Theatre is located on Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell, London. ...

The company toured while the theatre was closed during the Second World War. It returned as Sadler's Wells Opera Company, and the theatre re-opened with Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, introducing the first English opera composer since Purcell to receive international acclaim (aside from Arthur Sullivan, who wrote the popular Savoy Operas but only one grand opera, Ivanhoe). Boyd Neel conducted the company from 1944 to 1946. In 1968, Sadler's Wells Opera moved from Sadler's Wells Theatre to the Coliseum; six years later, the company was renamed English National Opera. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH (November 22, 1913 Lowestoft, Suffolk - December 4, 1976 Aldeburgh, Suffolk) was a British composer, conductor, and pianist. ... Peter Grimes is an opera by Benjamin Britten, with a libretto adapted by Montagu Slater from George Crabbes poem The Borough. ... Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (IPA: [1]; September 10 (?) [2], 1659–November 21, 1695), a Baroque composer, is generally considered to be one of Englands greatest composers. ... Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (May 13, 1842 – November 22, 1900) was an English composer best known for his operatic collaborations with librettist W. S. Gilbert. ... The Savoy Operas are a series of operettas written by Gilbert and Sullivan. ... Ivanhoe is a romantic opera in three acts based on the novel by Sir Walter Scott, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by Julian Sturgis. ... Louis Boyd Neel (July 19, 1905 - September 30, 1981) was an English (and later Canadian) conductor and academic. ... The London Coliseum The Coliseum Theatre is one of Londons largest and best equipped theatres, opening in 1904. ...

The strongest period of ENO's history is generally regarded as the period around the 1980s with Peter Jonas as general director, David Pountney as artistic director, and Mark Elder as music director, known as the "Power House" years.^[2] In 1984, ENO was the first British opera company to tour the United States since the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, and in 1990 was the first major foreign opera company to tour the former Soviet Union.^{[citation needed]} After acquiring the freehold to the London Coliseum, the company embarked on a four-year restoration programme in 2004. While the Coliseum was undergoing these changes, ENO temporarily made its home in the Barbican Centre. An important financial donor to the restoration costs was Martin Smith, who became ENO chairman in 2001. David Pountney (born 10 September 1947) is a British theater and opera director. ... Mark Elder (born 2 June 1947 in Hexham, England) is an English conductor. ... This article is about the year. ... The DOyly Carte Opera Company staged performances of Gilbert and Sullivans Savoy operas in the UK, Europe, America, South Africa and elsewhere from the nineteenth century to the twenty first. ... The London Coliseum The Coliseum Theatre is one of Londons largest and best equipped theatres, opening in 1904. ... Barbican Arts Centre and lakeside terrace Interior - concert hall foyer; library and gallery above Interior - concert hall with orchestra The Barbican Arts Centre opened in 1982, after a long and at times painful gestation which dated right back to the area having been badly bombed during World War II. Situated... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

In the past several years, ENO has been going through a period of artistic, administrative, and financial difficulties. In July 2002, Nicholas Payne resigned as ENO General Director, reportedly under pressure from Smith. His successor was Sean Doran, whose appointment was controversial because he had no prior experience of running an opera company and his primary artistic administrative experience was in festivals. One of Doran's notable achievements was a performance of Richard Wagner at the Glastonbury Festival. Howeer, low box-office returns and critical reviews of the ENO Ring Cycle during the early part of his tenure contributed to Doran's difficulties in this position.^[3] Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ...

In December 2003, then-music director Paul Daniel announced his resignation from ENO at the end of his contract in 2005.^[4] In addition, towards the later part of Daniel's tenure, there were reports of clashes between him and Doran.^[5] In February 2005, Doran announced a successor to Daniel as music director, Oleg Caetani, as of January 2006; Caetani, who uses his mother's maiden name, is a son of Igor Markevitch. Paul Daniel is an English conductor who began to come to the fore in the 1990s and is particularly noted for performances and recordings of British music. ... Igor Markevitch (August 9, 1912 - March 7, 1983) was a Ukrainian composer and conductor. ...

On 29 November 2005, Doran resigned as ENO artistic director, with immediate effect, during the first full season that he had programmed as artistic director.^[6] In December 2005, Caetani's appointment as the next ENO Music Director was cancelled, the month before he was scheduled to take up the post.^[7] To replace Doran, Smith decided to divide the duties between two people, and named Loretta Tomasi as chief executive and John Berry as artistic director. However, these elevations from within the organization were also controversial, because these postings were neither advertised nor cleared at the top level of the Arts Council. Smith received strong press criticism for this action, and in December 2005, Smith announced his resignation.^[8] Berry has also received criticism for his decisions regarding singer casting in ENO productions.^[9][10] is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up December in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In March 2006, ENO announced its next Music Director, Edward Gardner, as of May 2007.^[11] In the 2007-2008, Gardner's ENO conducting engagements will include productions of Carmen and Aïda.^[12] March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2003 and 2007, there have been protests at announced reductions in the ENO workforce, because of budget constraints, diminished funding, and difficulty in fund-raising.^[13] Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Such protests followed a March 2006 warning from ENO's auditors, Deloitte and Touche, that there were "material uncertainties which may cast significant doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern." According to its most recent annual report, ENO must succeed in selling some of its property if it is to keep afloat.^[1] Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is one of the Big Four auditors. ...

Repertoire

ENO performs all operas in English, although in June 2005 the decision was made to introduce surtitles at the Coliseum during the 2005/2006 Sky & Artsworld Season. In the May - December season 2005, ENO mounted The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, The Magic Flute, The Carmelites, Salome, Madama Butterfly, Xerxes and Billy Budd. Supertitles or surtitles are commonly used in opera or other musical performances. ... The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (Die Bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant) is a 1972 German film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. ... Die Zauberflöte (en: The Magic Flute) is an opera in two acts composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to a German libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder. ... The Order of Our Lady of Mt. ... This article is about the opera by Richard Strauss . ... Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly) is an opera in three acts (originally two acts) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. ... Xerxes may refer to these Persian kings: Xerxes I, reigned 485–465 BC, also known as Xerxes the Great. ... Billy Budd is an English language opera by Benjamin Britten, first performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on December 1, 1951. ...

Over the years the company has developed a distinctive pattern in its repertoire and staging. The major, well known operas have frequently been staged with assertively updated costumes and scenery, dividing opinion on the lines shown in correspondence in The Times in July 2002 when general director (Nicholas Payne) resigned in controversial circumstances: The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1788. ...

• “The aim must be to create a new audience that does not see opera as a middle-class trophy art form: an audience that Payne was beginning to attract to the Coliseum….” (signed by directors Tim Albery, Richard Jones, Jude Kelly, Phyllida Lloyd, Deborah Warner and Francesca Zambello.)

• “Nicholas Payne’s employment of directors who are often seemingly more concerned to indulge their egos in re-interpreting the operas they have been invited to direct than in fulfilling the wishes of the librettist and the composer has been the main reason for falling attendance at the London Coliseum.” (from the music critic Alan Blyth).

Notable features of ENO’s productions have been two complete stagings of Wagner's Ring cycle; regular introductions of new operas; revivals of operettas (particularly Gilbert and Sullivan) and musicals; occasional stagings of oratorios in full operatic guise; and the avoidance of bel canto operas where vocal display takes precedence over musical and dramatic content. Richard Jones (born 7 June 1953) is a British freelance opera and theatre director. ... Jude Kelly OBE,born in Liverpool (March 24th, 1954) is a noted theatre director and producer. ... Phyllida Lloyd is an English theatre director. ... Deborah Warner CBE (born 12 May 1959) is a British theatre and opera director. ... Francesca Zambello (born 1956) is a leading American opera and theatre director. ... The Ring of the Nibelung or, in the original German, Der Ring des Nibelungen, is a series of four epic operas. ... W. S. Gilbert Arthur Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900). ...

Ring Cycle

The Sadlers Wells/ENO Ring cycle of the 1970s was a major milestone in the company's development. The then music director, Sir Charles Mackerras, though a sound Wagnerian, had the vision and generosity to cede the baton to Reginald Goodall, who had been a neglected figure on the Covent Garden staff for many years. Goodall's ability as a Wagnerian - albeit a slow one - was belatedly revealed and widely admired. The cycle had a new translation by Andrew Porter, and designs by Ralph Koltai which were generally welcomed as striking, while avoiding what some have seen as the gimmickry of later productions. How the cast of company members rose to the challenge may be judged from the complete live recording made by EMI, and reissued by Chandos Records. The singers included Norman Bailey, Rita Hunter and Alberto Remedios. The Ring of the Nibelung or, in the original German, Der Ring des Nibelungen, is a series of four epic operas. ... Sir Alan Charles Maclaurin Mackerras, AC, CH, CBE (born November 17, 1925) is an Australian conductor. ... Sir Reginald Goodall (July 13, 1901 - May 5, 1990) was a British conductor. ...

For the first time in 30 years Wagner's Ring returned to the stage in English, coinciding with the Company's 30th anniversary as English National Opera. Following staged concerts over the previous three seasons, ENO Music Director Paul Daniel led the company in a new production by Phyllida Lloyd, designed by Richard Hudson with lighting by Simon Mills, performed in the new ENO translation by Jeremy Sams. The Rhinegold, The Valkyrie and Siegfried were all staged in 2004, the Coliseum centenary year, and the production of Twilight of the Gods completed the new cycle in Spring 2005. The production was notable for its use of contemporary minimalist sets and costumes. Some critics described Phyllida Lloyd's Cycle as superior to that at the Royal Opera House in almost every way, although many others thought it was muddled and that its "relentlessly trivialising" approach served only to belittle Wagner's cycle. It was also criticised for being poorly sung and conducted. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... An anniversary (from the Latin anniversarius, from the words for year and to turn, meaning (re)turning yearly; known in English since c. ... Not to be confused with lightning. ... Look up translate in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the famous train, see Rheingold Express. ... Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Siegfried is the third of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ...   (Twilight of the Gods – see Notes) is the last of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up contemporary in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is stripped down to its most fundamental features. ... In mathematics, a set can be thought of as any collection of distinct objects considered as a whole. ... Yarkand ladies summer fashions. ... The Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is a performing arts venue in London. ...

Gilbert & Sullivan

ENO (and its predecessor, Sadler's Wells) has to date staged five of the thirteen extant Gilbert and Sullivan operas. To coincide with the end of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company's monopoly when the copyright lapsed at the end of 1961 Iolanthe was staged. The production was given as far afield as Belgium and Germany (1962) and Amsterdam, Vienna and Prague (1965).^[14] The Mikado followed shortly afterwards. Patience was the next addition, in 1969, and was much revived in London, and on tour in the UK and on the continent. In a second, 1987, production of The Mikado, the role of the Lord High Executioner was performed by comedians Eric Idle and Bill Oddie and latterly by G&S specialist Richard Suart. This production – set in the 1930s at an English seaside resort, with black and white sets and costumes – is persistently revived. A production of Princess Ida directed by Ken Russell was a critical and box office failure and ran but briefly. A 2005 production of The Pirates of Penzance was received with modified rapture, and no revival has been announced. A production of The Gondoliers opened in 2006 to friendly reviews. The production was faithful to Gilbert's libretto and Sullivan's score, although the costumes were those of the 1950s rather than 1750 as stipulated by Gilbert. W. S. Gilbert Arthur Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian era partnership of librettist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900). ... The DOyly Carte Opera Company staged performances of Gilbert and Sullivans Savoy operas in the UK, Europe, America, South Africa and elsewhere from the nineteenth century to the twenty first. ... Iolanthe, or The Peer and the Peri, is a comic opera with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. ... The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert, their ninth of fourteen operatic collaborations. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Patience (operetta) Patience (video tape cover) Patience (video tape cover) This article refers to the Savoy Opera. ... Eric Idle (born March 29, 1943) is a British comedian, actor, author and writer of comedic songs. ... William Edgar (Bill) Oddie, OBE (born 7 July 1941 in Rochdale, Lancashire), is a British comedy writer and performer, author, composer and musician. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Princess Ida Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Princess (Tennyson) Princess Ida, or Castle Adamant, is the eighth operetta written by Gilbert and Sullivan. ... Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell, known as Ken Russell (born July 3, 1927), is an iconoclastic English film director, particularly well-known for his films about famous composers and his controversial, often outrageous pioneering work in film. ... Poster announcing the copyright performance at the Bijou Theatre, Paignton The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. ... The Gondoliers, or The King of Barataria, is a Savoy Opera, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. ...

Home

See also the article on the Coliseum Theatre.

The Coliseum Theatre, near Trafalgar Square, is one of London's largest and best equipped theatres. It opened in 1904, the creation of the most powerful theatre manager of the day, Oswald Stoll, and the foremost theatre architect, Frank Matcham. Their ambition was to build the largest and finest 'People's palace of entertainment' of its age. English National Opera moved into the theatre in 1968. In 1992, ENO bought the freehold for £12.8m. The theatre underwent extensive renovations between 2000 and 2004 and has the widest proscenium arch in London as well as being one of the earliest to have electric lighting. It was built with a revolving stage although it was rarely used. The London Coliseum The Coliseum Theatre is one of Londons largest and best equipped theatres, opening in 1904. ... Trafalgar Square viewed from the northeast corner. ... Frank Matcham (born 22 November 1854, Newton Abbot, Devon - died 17 May 1920, Southend-on-Sea, Essex) was a famous English theatrical architect // Matcham and two architects he helped to train, Bertie Crewe and W.G.R. Sprague, were together responsible for the majority - certainly more than 200 - of the... Freehold is a term used in real estate or real property law, land held in fee simple, as opposed to leasehold, which is land which is leased. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The article on electrical energy is located elsewhere. ...

The former Decca Studios in West Hampstead are used as ENO's rehearsal space. The Decca Studios was a recording facility in West Hampstead, north London, England. ... West Hampstead is an area in northwest London, England, situated between Childs Hill to the north, Frognal and Hampstead to the east, Swiss Cottage to the south, and Kilburn to the west. ...

Education

eno baylis is the education department of ENO. They involve around 12,000 people every year in a wide range of projects, events, courses and performances, with a goal of developing creative responses to opera and music theatre; making new work with communities and exploring individual creativity as a means of providing access to ENO's productions; and encouraging learning and development through participation of artists and collaboration of resources.

Music Directors (partial list)

• Sir Charles Mackerras (1970--1978)
• Sir Charles Groves (1978-1979)
• Mark Elder (1979-1993)
• Sian Edwards (1993-1997)
• Paul Daniel (1997-2005)
• Edward Gardner (2007-present)

Sir Alan Charles Maclaurin Mackerras, AC, CH, CBE (born November 17, 1925) is an Australian conductor. ... Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Sir Charles Groves (March 10, 1915 - June 20, 1992), was a British conductor. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Mark Elder (born 2 June 1947 in Hexham, England) is an English conductor. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Paul Daniel is an English conductor who began to come to the fore in the 1990s and is particularly noted for performances and recordings of British music. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 101st day of the year (102nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Coliseum
• Royal Opera
• Covent Garden
• Operatunity
• Opera

The London Coliseum The Coliseum Theatre is one of Londons largest and best equipped theatres, opening in 1904. ... The Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is a performing arts venue in London. ... Covent Garden is a district in central London and within the easterly bounds of the City of Westminster. ... Operatunity was a talent search— and Michael Waldmans film that documented it— in which the English National Opera conducted a nationwide search to find someone in the United Kingdom without professional opera experience, who could be coached to sing in a staged opera— Verdis Rigoletto in the event... This article is about Opera, the art form. ...

External links

• ENO website
• ENO history