English National Opera - London
19 April 2024

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Il barbiere di Siviglia
7 Deaths of Maria Callas
Blue
Das Rheingold
It's a Wonderful Life

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Performance reviews

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Duke Bluebeard's Castle

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 8

Jennifer Johnston saves the day in fiery Bartók
31 Mar 24 / The Observer
Inside Bartok’s ‘Bluebeard’s Castle’ at the ENO
27 Mar 24 / The Article
A remarkable Duke Bluebeard’s Castle from ENO
26 Mar 24 / Opera Today
An unexpected bride in English National Opera’s Duke Bluebeard's Castle
26 Mar 24 / Bachtrack
Bluebeard and his zombie brides
26 Mar 24 / London Unattached
Duke Bluebeard’s Castle semi-staged but calamity strikes ENO as soprano withdraws at the eleventh hour
24 Mar 24 / Seen and Heard
English National Opera Presents Duke Bluebeard’s Castle at the London Coliseum
24 Mar 24 / Opera Online (English)
Erotic, unsettling and beautifully staged
23 Mar 24 / The Guardian
Jenufa

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 12

Psychological turmoil with a powerful ending
20 Mar 24 / London Unattached
Janáček’s Jenůfa burns intensely at ENO
19 Mar 24 / Opera Today
Almost an expressionist nightmare
18 Mar 24 / Seen and Heard
Intense and brilliant Janáček at the ENO
17 Mar 24 / Express
First rate performances in revival of David Alden’s Jenufa at the London Coliseum
17 Mar 24 / Opera Online (English)
An opera that packs a punch
16 Mar 24 / The Article
Beneath the ice: a triumphant revival of Jenůfa at English National Opera
16 Mar 24 / Bachtrack
Janáček's searing opera in an Olivier-award production is revived with a new cast
15 Mar 24 / CultureWhisper
Jennifer Davis and Susan Bullock pull out all the stops in Janáček's moving masterpiece
15 Mar 24 / The Arts Desk
Overwhelming emotional experience
15 Mar 24 / The Stage
Alden’s harrowing staging remains a formidable piece of theatre
15 Mar 24 / The Guardian
A fine revival of David Alden’s thought-provoking Jenůfa at English National Opera
15 Mar 24 / Seen and Heard
Die Zauberflöte

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 7

Courage, Love and Laughter: Simon McBurney’s ENO Magic Flute enchants and enlightens
5 Mar 24 / Seen and Heard
McBurney's delightfully batty Magic Flute returns to the Coliseum
5 Mar 24 / Bachtrack
A magic Magic Flute
5 Mar 24 / London Unattached
An enchanting, must-see Magic Flute from ENO
4 Mar 24 / Opera Today
The anarchy and invention of Simon McBurney’s Mozart production triumphs as ENO plays on
3 Mar 24 / The Observer
Truly magical Mozart at the English National Opera
2 Mar 24 / Express
Simon McBurney's dark pantomime casts its spell again
1 Mar 24 / The Arts Desk
Il barbiere di Siviglia

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 9

Another Barber of Seville revival proves ENO remains a joy and a gem
25 Feb 24 / Seen and Heard
The Barber is back at the Coliseum
21 Feb 24 / The Article
Miller’s Barber lights up the ENO
20 Feb 24 / London Unattached
Notable house debuts at ENO
18 Feb 24 / The Observer
Lesley Garrett returns in the ENO's glorious Rossini romp
16 Feb 24 / Express
Fourteenth revival of Jonathan Miller’s The Barber of Seville at the London Coliseum
16 Feb 24 / Opera Online (English)
Time for a cut? Jonathan Miller's The Barber of Seville returns to English National Opera
15 Feb 24 / Bachtrack
Miller’s 1987 staging still sparkles
14 Feb 24 / The Guardian
Jonathan Miller's ever-popular 1987 is back for another run
14 Feb 24 / Broadway World
The Handmaid's Tale

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 13

Gilead, república de machos
15 Feb 24 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish)
ENO keeps its dystopian focus
11 Feb 24 / The Observer
Sensational
9 Feb 24 / City A.M.
In its first revival ENO’s The Handmaid’s Tale remains an impressive piece of theatre
6 Feb 24 / Seen and Heard
An intense and engaging production of The Handmaid’s Tale at the London Coliseum
6 Feb 24 / Opera Online (English)
The Handmaid’s Tale returns to English National Opera
6 Feb 24 / Opera Today
Stuck under each other’s heels
6 Feb 24 / London Unattached
Poul Ruders’s opera shows Atwood’s novel has lost none of its relevance
5 Feb 24 / The Guardian
As chilling and emotional as ever
5 Feb 24 / Planet Hugill
Grim but powerfully performed
5 Feb 24 / Express
A much anticipated revival for the ENO's 2022 hit production
3 Feb 24 / Broadway World
Kate Lindsey is the saving, amazing grace of Poul Ruders’ lumpy music drama
3 Feb 24 / The Arts Desk
Prescient then, terrifying now:
3 Feb 24 / Bachtrack
Carmen

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 7

Carmen breaks the rules
15 Feb 24 / Express
Calixto Bieito’s production of Carmen still conveys the opera’s visceral, raw passions afresh
16 Feb 23 / Classical Source
This reboot is physically and emotionally confining – some charm or wonderment wouldn’t go amiss
16 Feb 23 / Opera Today
Disappointing revival of Calixto Bieito’s production of Carmen at English National Opera
13 Feb 23 / Seen and Heard
Happy birthday English National Opera – a Carmen to celebrate
7 Feb 23 / London Unattached
On a knife-edge: Calixto Bieito's Carmen returns to English National Opera
4 Feb 23 / Bachtrack
Vivid revival finds ENO on fighting form
3 Feb 23 / The Guardian
7 Deaths of Maria Callas

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 9

Los siete egos de Marina Abramović
17 Nov 23 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish)
Marina Abramović channels Maria Callas
12 Nov 23 / The Observer
A lovely set of vocal performances within a concept of limited appeal
8 Nov 23 / Seen and Heard
Maria Callas: the seven deaths of La Divina
8 Nov 23 / The Article
The life and death of Maria Callas
7 Nov 23 / The Opera Critic
7 Deaths of Maria Callas brings Marina Abramović to the London Coliseum
7 Nov 23 / Opera Online (English)
Marina Abramović celebrates Maria Callas
7 Nov 23 / The Stage
A visual and musical feast at the ENO
7 Nov 23 / London Unattached
Marina Abramović dreams up a diva’s greatest hits
6 Nov 23 / The Guardian
La Traviata

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 8

The ENO Orchestra is excellent in a well-sung Traviata and Konwitschny’s concept is an interesting one
4 Nov 23 / Seen and Heard
Passionate subjectivity
4 Nov 23 / The Critic
It’s curtains for Violetta
31 Oct 23 / London Unattached
Fierce & intense: Peter Konwitschny's production of La traviata returns to ENO with a mesmerising account of the title role from Nicole Chevalier
30 Oct 23 / Planet Hugill
La Traviata peu orthodoxe mais efficace de l'English National Opera au Coliseum de Londres
29 Oct 23 / Opera Online (French)
English National Opera’s unorthodox but effective La traviata at the London Coliseum
26 Oct 23 / Opera Online (English)
Radical revival powered by outstanding performers
25 Oct 23 / The Guardian
Curtain rises on ENO's Traviata revival
25 Oct 23 / Bachtrack
Peter Grimes

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 11

A superb ‘Peter Grimes’ returns to the Coliseum
1 Nov 23 / The Article
ENO's strongly staged Peter Grimes returns
11 Oct 23 / The Opera Critic
ENO’s new season opens with searing revival of Alden’s expressionist vision of Britten
6 Oct 23 / OperaWire
Elizabeth Llewellyn rightly brings a ray of light amid the gloom
2 Oct 23 / Classical Source
Britten’s masterpiece holds its own at ENO
1 Oct 23 / The Observer
A superb ‘Peter Grimes’ returns to the Coliseum
27 Sep 23 / The Article
Alden gives us an almost psychotic claustrophobia
26 Sep 23 / Opera Today
David Alden’s production of Britten’s Peter Grimes reaches into the darkness
26 Sep 23 / London Unattached
Grim but compelling, Alden’s nightmarish staging returns to Coliseum
23 Sep 23 / The Guardian
The second revival of ENO’s Peter Grimes is a complete triumph
23 Sep 23 / Seen and Heard
Peter Grimes a raging, powerful, defiant start to the new ENO season
23 Sep 23 / Bachtrack
Iolanthe

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 11

Still gorgeous but ever so slightly less funny than before
12 Oct 23 / The Arts Desk
Cal McCrystal’s Iolanthe is revived at English National Opera
12 Oct 23 / Opera Today
A heavy-handed revival throws everything but the kitchen sink at Gilbert and Sullivan's lords-and-fairies operetta
11 Oct 23 / CultureWhisper
This political pantomime of an opera is a colourful affair
10 Oct 23 / Broadway World
Cal McCrystal's wacky Iolanthe returns to the Coliseum
10 Oct 23 / The Opera Critic
The fairies triumphant return to the Coliseum
10 Oct 23 / London Unattached
The flower fairies are back
9 Oct 23 / Planet Hugill
A fun first revival of Cal McCrystal’s Iolanthe at the London Coliseum
8 Oct 23 / Opera Online (English)
From Nadine Dorries to flying lords, the spiralling absurdity makes this a delight
7 Oct 23 / The Guardian
English National Opera revives their uproarious Iolanthe: an undeniable smash hit
7 Oct 23 / Seen and Heard
ENO’s Iolanthe is a tonic for our times
7 Oct 23 / The Stage
Symphony Of Sorrowful Songs

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 9

Bywater’s fine staging and Chevalier’s superb singing makes Symphony of Sorrowful Songs memorable
6 May 23 / Seen and Heard
Isabella Bywater’s new staging of Henryk Górecki’s Third Symphony is artful and affecting
3 May 23 / OperaWire
Motherhood and loss in music and on stage
2 May 23 / London Unattached
Henryk Górecki's Symphony of Sorrowful Songs at ENO in an astonishing visual treat from Isabella Bywater
1 May 23 / Planet Hugill
The music is slow, hypnotic and full of long notes
30 Apr 23 / Broadway World
Gorecki’s triptych retains its visceral power in thoughtful staging
29 Apr 23 / The Guardian
A staged version of Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs at the London Coliseum
29 Apr 23 / Opera Online (English)
ENO closes its season on a high with a staging of Henryk Górecki’s symphonic classic
29 Apr 23 / The Stage
Letting Górecki’s music do the work
29 Apr 23 / Bachtrack
Blue

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 12

ENO’s Blue is a miss as an opera, but has top-flight singers and a conductor at the top of his game
2 May 23 / Seen and Heard
Porgy, Bess, and Blue
1 May 23 / Mundo Clásico (Spanish)
A potent US tale of Black lives hits home with fervour and humanity at ENO.
30 Apr 23 / The Observer
Blue enjoys its UK premiere from English National Opera at the London Coliseum
27 Apr 23 / Opera Online (English)
A striking production of an operatic dud at ENO
27 Apr 23 / The Spectator
Black and ‘Blue’: an NYPD opera at the Coliseum
26 Apr 23 / The Article
English National Opera’s Blue presents a fierce reality
25 Apr 23 / Opera Now
Blue, Jeanine Tesori's new opera on urban violence, comes to ENO
25 Apr 23 / Bachtrack
Powerful new opera tackles racial violence but also celebrates the highs and lows of family life
24 Apr 23 / CultureWhisper
Compelling production by Tinuke Craig
22 Apr 23 / The Stage
Racial violence, love and loss in a lyrical and angry work of unflinching power
22 Apr 23 / The Guardian
Blue is the colour
22 Apr 23 / London Unattached
Die Tote Stadt

English National Opera


No. of reviews: 16

American opera, voices flavor creative mix on stages across Europe
22 Apr 23 / Classical Voice North America
Annilese Miskimmon’s surrealist new production of Korngold probes and enthralls
9 Apr 23 / OperaWire
English National Opera brings Korngold’s Dead City to life
8 Apr 23 / Reaction
Bringing The Dead City to life
4 Apr 23 / London Unattached
An unsentimental but incisive and stimulating interpretation of the opera
3 Apr 23 / Classical Source
Korngold looks back: the lushness & extravagance of fin-de-siecle Vienna evoked in The Dead City at English National Opera
3 Apr 23 / Planet Hugill
ENO give a thoughtful account of Korngold’s uneven study of loss
2 Apr 23 / The Observer
ENO’s justly ambitious, laudable Korngold project
29 Mar 23 / Seen and Heard
English National Opera’s First Ever Production of Korngold’s The Dead City at the London Coliseum
29 Mar 23 / Opera Online (English)
‘I fear we are losing a whole generation of talent’
As she stages a new production of The Dead City, Korngold’s wild opera banned by the Nazis, English National Opera’s artistic director Annilese Miskimmon talks about the company’s strong present and uncertain future.
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News & Articles

English National Opera musicians call off strike action
ENO will now revise plans that triggered dispute, after negotiations with Musicians’ Union.
16 Feb 2024 / The Guardian
English National Opera musicians and chorus suspend strike
Musicians at the English National Opera (ENO) have called off a strike over pay and conditions, the performing arts union Equity has said.
30 Jan 2024 / BBC News
English National Opera employees to strike over cuts
Underfunding of Manchester move blamed as Musicians’ Union announces first full strike in 44 years.
18 Jan 2024 / The Guardian
English National Opera members to vote on strike action
Equity union says chorus members will vote in early January on whether to act over plans to cut salaries by 40%.
22 Dec 2023 / The Guardian
ENO announces Greater Manchester will be its new home
The company, which had a shortlist of five cities, had been told funding was dependent on leaving London.
6 Dec 2023 / The Guardian