30 September: English National Opera (ENO) has unveiled a new annual project to redesign the safety curtain in the world-famous London Coliseum’s auditorium.

Named in honour of long-standing and beloved ENO collaborator Sir Jonathan Miller, the new Jonathan Miller Safety Curtain will be commissioned each season, giving the London Coliseum a canvas to showcase new and innovative design. Each year a new artist will be invited to design the curtain.

Luke Edward Hall is the first artist to undertake this project, having kindly volunteered his time to create the new curtain artwork. Luke’s new curtain was unveiled in the Coliseum’s auditorium today (Monday 30 September) and will take centre stage throughout ENO’s 19/20 season.

Described by Vogue as interior design’s ‘wunderkind’, the London-based artist, designer and writer established his studio in 2015. His love of history and the classics inspire his playfully colourful works and he acknowledges the influence of ENO’s upcoming Orpheus series in the curtain’s final design:

‘I’m delighted to have worked on a new design for the safety curtain at the Coliseum, and to be the first artist involved in ENO’s exciting new scheme. My inspiration for the design came from the Coliseum itself and the Roman grandeur of its richly decorated interior. I drew upon my love of the mythology of Ancient Greece and Rome and created a scene in which Orpheus, the legendary poet and musician, is seen playing his violin beside the lyre-playing Apollo, god of music and dance. I wanted the atmosphere to feel magical, mysterious and dreamlike. I believe opera and theatre should transport viewers from their ordinary everyday existences to a place of fantasy – I hope my design will help to prepare them for the adventure.’

The curtain’s namesake, the director Sir Jonathan Miller, has worked with ENO for over 4 decades, directing 15 productions that have become the heart of ENO’s repertoire. Sir Jonathan was celebrated in 2016 with Marvellous Miller, an evening-length tribute at London Coliseum. Having trained as a doctor, Sir Jonathan went on to build an international career as a writer, presenter and theatre director. He directed his first opera in 1974 before working with ENO for The Marriage of Figaro in 1978. Sir Jonathan was knighted in 2002 for services to music and the arts. He is also a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a Foreign Member of the American Academy of Arts and Science. His inventive staging of The Mikado will take over London Coliseum once again this season, transporting Gilbert & Sullivan’s operetta to an English seaside hotel.

Sir Jonathan believes it is best to: ‘Be safe with your audiences so you can be wild and original with your work’, making the new safety curtain a fitting tribute to the bold director with his audience at the heart of every vision.

ENO Chairman Dr Harry Brünjes says: ‘Sir Jonathan Miller’s operas have become some of our best loved productions. It seemed only right that we name the new curtain after him, in honour of his work’s continued presence on our stage. All at ENO would also like to extend our gratitude to Luke Edward Hall, for the fantastic new artwork that he has kindly gifted to the project.’ The curtain will continue London Coliseum’s reputation as a home to creativity, through opera, ballet, musicals, comedy and now art.

The traditional safety curtain typically guards the audience in a theatre auditorium. It is lowered during intervals and when the stage is not in use, as a precaution in case of fire backstage. The current curtain has been in place since the Coliseum’s auditorium was renovated in 2004.

The Mask of Orpheus

Sir Harrison Birtwistle (1934 – present)

Libretto by Peter Zinovieff (1933 – present)

Director, Daniel Kramer

Conductor, Martyn Brabbins
Second conductor, James Henshaw

Birtwistle returns to English National Opera as The Mask of Orpheus receives first full London staging since its premiere

Opens Friday 18 October at 19:00 (5 performances)

‘The finest British opera of the last half-century’ (the Guardian) receives its first major staging in London since its premiere at English National Opera (ENO) in 1986.

Marking the composer’s 85th birthday, Harrison Birtwistle’s remarkable work – with a libretto by Peter Zinovieff – mixes music, drama and myth. Scored for massive orchestral forces, the ENO orchestra is led by ENO Music Director Martyn Brabbins, a dedicated exponent of the music of Birtwistle. Noted for conducting the definitive recording of the piece with the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 2009, Martyn is truly honoured to be leading this new production, 33 years after the ENO premiere.

Daniel Kramer directs the Birtwistle masterpiece, which forms part of ENO’s Orpheus Series he has curated with Martyn for autumn 2019, following their collaborations for last season’s War Requiem and Jack the Ripper: The Women of Whitechapel. ENO’s Orpheus Series reimagines four operas exploring the Orpheus myth, each interpreted by four directors from diverse theatrical disciplines, all in sets by renowned British designer Lizzie Clachan.

Daniel Kramer began his opera career at ENO a decade ago with Birtwistle’s Punch and Judy in 2008, which won the South Bank Show Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera, and this production promises to continue that total theatre approach to Birtwistle’s work.

Costumes are by artist, campaigner and designer Daniel Lismore, described by Vogue as ‘England’s most outrageous dresser’. To inspire and support Lismore in creating his first ever set of costumes for the stage, Swarovski has exclusively provided the opera production with 400,000 crystals.

The Mask of Orpheus retells the Orpheus myth in a non-linear narrative, and examines the various manifestations of grief and loss, love and rage. Birtwistle’s complex retelling explores the Orpheus myth from different perspectives. The opera’s leading characters appear in three distinct guises, representing their human, heroic and mythical form, while different areas of the stage symbolise the different depictions of the ancient story.

Birtwistle, one of Europe’s leading figures in contemporary music, extends beyond the conventional operatic resources by integrating electronic music (realised by the late Barry Anderson) into the complex score, in addition to the massive orchestra of wind, brass, harps, guitars, and a huge battery of percussion.

Tenor Peter Hoare sings Orpheus the Man, in his fifth performance at ENO while tenor Daniel Norman sings Orpheus the Myth, after his ‘persuasive’ (The Times) performance as Monostatos in ENO’s production of The Magic Flute earlier this year.

Praised for her ‘warm mezzo’ and ‘velvet-voice’ (The Telegraph), British-Spanish mezzo-soprano Marta Fontanals-Simmons makes her ENO debut as Eurydice the Woman, having recently made critically acclaimed house and role debuts at the Royal Opera House as Siébel in David McVicar’s production of Faust and as Hel in the premiere of Gavin Higgins’s The Monstrous Child (Linbury Theatre).

Mezzo soprano Claire Barnett-Jones, hailed as ‘a young singer to watch’ (Opera Today) makes her ENO Harewood Artist’s debut, taking on the roles of Eurydice The Myth and Persephone. Claire has performed as Soloist on the Last Night of the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, for Opéra National de Bordeaux, with the Orchestra of Valencia, CBSO and at Wigmore Hall.

Claire is joined by four other Harewood Artists and the cast is completed with James Cleverton as Aristaeus The Man, Simon Bailey as Aristaeus the Myth/Charon and Robert Hayward as The Caller. James Henshaw joins as the second conductor.

Lighting and video design is by Peter Mumford, sound design by Sound Intermedia and choreography by Barnaby Booth.

The Mask of Orpheus opens on Friday 18 October at 19:00 at the London Coliseum for 5 performances: Oct 18, 25 & Nov 7, 13 at 19:00 and Oct 29 at 18:00.

Orpheus in the Underworld

Jacques Offenbach (1819 – 1880)

Hector-Jonathan Crémieux and Ludovic Halévy, after classical mythology. Freely adapted from the original French by Emma Rice and Tom Morris.

Conductor, Sian Edwards (Valentina Peleggi, Nov 21, 26, 28)

Director, Emma Rice

Emma Rice makes her opera debut for English National Opera’s Orpheus Series

Opens Saturday 5 October at 7.30pm (12 performances)

Emma Rice brings her wit and charm to English National Opera’s new season, with her operatic debut: an adaptation of Offenbach’s riotous operetta Orpheus in the Underworld (1858).

Emma Rice’s productions sparkle with theatrical spectacle and vivacious humour, whilst never shying away from the deeper meanings and emotions. The Artistic Director of Wise Children, formerly of Shakespeare’s Globe and Kneehigh, this is Rice’s first opera.

The production forms part of ENO’s Orpheus Series, a reimagining of four operas exploring the Orpheus myth in autumn 2019. Each is interpreted by four directors from diverse theatrical disciplines, all in sets by renowned designer Lizzie Clachan.

Emma Rice comments: “Music has always been a huge part of my life and my work. The chance to work on one of the greatest stories of all time with this heart-stopping music pulsing through its veins was one I couldn’t refuse! Intoxicating, seductive, funny and heart-breaking, Orpheus in the Underworld fills and fulfils my dreams. In rehearsals, when I hear 55 amazing musicians singing some of the most thrilling music I have ever heard, I have to pinch myself! Poignant, prescient and romantic to its bones, this promises to be a treat for the heart, mind and soul.”

Orpheus in the Underworld begins with tragedy. A young couple’s marriage is overwhelmed by grief and, seeking comfort, Eurydice is fooled into taking Pluto, ruler of the Underworld, as her lover. When she suddenly dies and is transported to a hedonistic, party filled Underworld, her estranged husband Orpheus resolves to try and bring her back. To achieve the impossible he will need the help of the glamorous, conceited but rather bored gods. Little does he know that the gods have plans of their own for Eurydice…

Originally composed as a parody of Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice which had premiered nearly a century before, Offenbach’s operetta poked fun at the characters of ancient myths. An immediate box office success, the score’s high-energy ‘Galop Infernal’ was adopted by cabaret shows, immortalising it in popular culture as the soundtrack to the ‘can-can’ dance. Emma Rice’s adaptation brings the story up to date with a chilling reflection on the high-spirited hedonism that Offenbach originally staged. This production sees the glitzy world of cabaret veiling a seedy, rotten Underworld; where objectified Eurydice is at the mercy of male desire.

Tenor Ed Lyon sings Orpheus. Trained at St John’s College Cambridge, the Royal Academy of Music and the National Opera Studio, he has appeared internationally, with a wide repertoire that ranges from baroque to contemporary.

Established ENO star Mary Bevan returns in the role of Eurydice. Having joined ENO’s Harewood Artist programme in 2011, Mary has gone on to sing many roles at ENO and internationally. Praised for her ‘dramatic wit and vocal control’ (Opera), she is a winner of the UK Critics’ Circle Award for Exceptional Young Talent in Music.

Baritone Lucia Lucas makes her ENO debut as Public Opinion. California born and Germany based, Lucia recently made history in the title role of Tulsa Opera’s Don Giovanni, where she became the first transgender woman to perform a principle role on the operatic stage in the United States.

Bass-baritone Sir Willard White trained at the Jamaican School of Music and the Juilliard School in New York. Since his operatic debut with the New York City Opera in 1974, he has sung regularly at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, New York, and at the Glyndebourne, Aix-en-Provence and Salzburg festivals. He will be singing the role of Jupiter, with Robert Haywood taking over on November 21, 26 and 28.

The all-star cast is completed by Alan Oke singing John Styx while ENO Harewood Artists Alex Otterburn and Idunnu Münch are Pluto and Diana. Anne-Marie Owens is Juno, whilst Keel Watson takes the role of Mars and Judith Howarth sings Venus. Ellie Laugharne completes this host of operatic talent as Cupid.

Former ENO Music Director Sian Edwards takes the conductor’s baton, with current Mackerras Fellow Valentina Peleggi supporting for three performances in November.

The set is designed by Lizzie Clachan and the costumes are by Lez Brotherston. Choreography is by Etta Murfitt, Lighting design is by Malcolm Rippeth and Sound Design by Simon Baker.

Emma Rice and Tom Morris have freely adapted the piece from the original French.

Orpheus in the Underworld opens Saturday 5 October at 7:30pm at the London Coliseum for 12 performances: Oct 5, 11, 23, 30 & Nov 1, 8, 12, 21, 26 at 19.30. Oct 19 at 14.00. Oct 26 at 13.45. Nov 28 at 19.00

Tickets start from £10 (plus booking fee)*

*£2.25 booking fee applies to online and telephone bookings

Orpheus and Eurydice

Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714 – 1787)

Libretto by Pierre-Louis Moline. Version by Hector Berlioz.

Conductor, Harry Bicket

Director, Wayne McGregor

Opens Tuesday 1 October at 19:30 (8 performances)

English National Opera kicks off the 19/20 season with Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice (1762). The oldest of ENO’s Orpheus Series, it is directed by Wayne McGregor CBE in his ENO directorial debut.

Following a prestigious career in contemporary international dance, resident Choreographer at The Royal Ballet and double Olivier Award-winner Wayne McGregor CBE presents a dance led ENO directorial debut with Orpheus and Eurydice. He previously collaborated with ENO on the choreography of Salome in 2005 and this summer for ENO’s production of Noyes’s Fludde in which he choreographed the Raven and Dove Dance.

ENO’s Orpheus Series reimagines four operas exploring the Orpheus myth in autumn 2019. Each is interpreted by four directors from diverse theatrical disciplines, all in sets by renowned British designer Lizzie Clachan.

Orpheus and Eurydice tells the story of musician Orpheus who, overcome with grief at the death of his beloved wife Eurydice, will go to any lengths to be reunited with her. Descending to the perilous depths of the Underworld, Orpheus must charm its demons with sublime melodies to bring Eurydice back to the land of the living. There’s just one catch: Orpheus must lead his wife out of the Underworld without looking at her; or else she will be lost forever.

Gluck’s 18^th century work bridges the Baroque and Classical periods and this production stems from Berlioz’s dedicated reworking of Gluck’s score. Its rich orchestral writing compliments McGregor’s distinct balletic choreography, and 14 dancers from Studio Wayne McGregor perform alongside the three lead operatic voices in an inter-disciplinary merging of dance and opera.

Distinguished mezzo-soprano Alice Coote OBE sings Orpheus, leading the three operatic principles. Renowned for her works across the great stages of the world including the Metropolitan Opera, New York and the Paris Opéra, she is best known for her breeches roles, of which she has been described as ‘a modern master’ (Chicago Sun Tribune).

ENO favourite Sarah Tynan returns to sing her first of two Eurydice roles this season, fresh from her triumphant turns as the titles in The Merry Widow and Lucia Di Lammermoor last season, the latter of which she performed ‘with a silvery purity of tone and an exquisite sense of line’ (the Guardian).

The trio of lead voices is completed by Lancashire born ENO Harewood Artist Soraya Mafi singing the role of Love. A fast-rising star soprano, she made her ENO debut as Edith in 2015’s The Pirates of Penzance, going on to sing Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 2018.

Notable classical and baroque conductor Harry Bicket, Artistic Director of the English Concert and Music Director at Santa Fe Opera, returns to ENO where he began his career, bringing with him a fine period sensibility.

The set design is by Lizzie Clachan and the costumes are by fashion designer and artist Louise Gray. Lighting is by Olivier Award-winning lighting designer Jon Clark. Ben Cullen-Williams is the production’s video designer, with choreography by Wayne McGregor.

The translation is by Christopher Cowell.

Orpheus and Eurydice opens Tuesday 1 October at 19:30 at the London Coliseum for 8 performances: Oct 1, 10, 17, 24, 31 & Nov 14, 19 at 19:30. Oct 12 at 14:00.

The Brighton Phil announces their new season at Brighton Dome: the same excellent orchestra, a new approach to programming. 

The Brighton Philharmonic looks forward to its 2019/20 season in the orchestra’s ‘spiritual home’, the Brighton Dome, with an exciting series of Sunday afternoon concerts that is something of a departure from previous seasons.

Artistic Administrator Ian Brignall explains: “This season is, without doubt, a bit of a change from the norm, with a mix of symphonic repertoire (including the ever-popular New Year’s Eve concert) and concerts showcasing the talents of our wonderful musicians in different sections of the orchestra. We will welcome a superb array of guest artists to perform with us including conductors Natalie Murray-Beale and Stephen Bell, violinist Thomas Gould and soprano Ailish Tynan.”

The Brighton Philharmonic Strings will open the season with the “Violin Operator” Christian Garrick in November playing, amongst other things, the jazz Violin Concerto written for him by Sir John Dankworth, alongside music by Piazzolla, Anne Dudley’s Poldark TV theme and some of Christian’s own compositions.

Our concert on 1 December (dedicated to the memory of Sarah Gershon) includes perennial favourites Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending, Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik and Haydn’s Farewell Symphony.  

Brighton Philharmonic Brass will open the second half of the season in February with a delightful programme of music spanning nearly 500 years, from Purcell’s Trumpet Tune and Air to Chris Hazell’s jazzy, light-hearted Brass Cats suite (loosely based on the cats, all former strays, who were living with him at the time).

We have also gone back to the Society’s roots as a musical promoter, welcoming back the hugely popular piano duo Worbey & Farrell (who closed our 2017/18 season so spectacularly with Carnival of the Animals) at the beginning of March, of whom our own Conductor Laureate Barry Wordsworth has said: “They have an astonishing ability to convey to their audience the joy and fun inherent in making music.”

And, of course, no season would be complete without an appearance by our beloved Barry Wordsworth, who returns to Brighton Dome to conduct the season finale on 29 March, joined by popular regular soloist Thomas Carroll who will perform the wonderful Elgar Cello Concerto.

Describing the changed format for the season Nicolas Chisholm, MBE, Chairman of the Brighton & Hove Philharmonic Society, which manages the orchestra, said: “Our programme is, to some extent, a response to the financial climate; it is an expensive and challenging business to put on a concert season and although the orchestra has benefited over the years from the generous financial support of the John Carewe Brighton Orchestra Trust, as well as the continued support of Brighton Dome, it is simply not economically viable for us to continue to put on large symphonic performances for a whole season.”

He went on to comment that “Equally importantly, however, we wanted to develop an innovative programme that allows our musicians to continue to perform enjoyable music to the very high standard our regular audiences have come to expect, while providing something to attract audiences we may not have reached before. The BPO board is determined that the orchestra will survive and thrive as we approach our centenary six years from now. We are about to embark on an exciting journey, and we are sure we can count on our loyal supporters and Dome audiences to accompany us every step of the way.”

Tickets for the new season will go on sale on Monday 7 October 2019 from Brighton Dome Ticket Office.

English National Opera (ENO) is pleased to announce that Louise Jeffreys is to become Deputy Chair of English National Opera and the London Coliseum. She replaces Nicholas Allan.

Louise is currently Artistic Director of the Barbican where she leads the artistic marketing and media relation functions and is responsible for the formulation, implementation and delivery of the Barbican’s artistic programme and strategic vision. She was previously Head of Theatre and Arts Projects at the Centre, programming and leading Barbican International Theatre Events (BITE) which became one of London’s most innovative artistic programmes, presenting and co-commissioning leading international theatre, dance and opera.

Prior to the Barbican, her roles include Administrative Director at the Nottingham Playhouse, Head of Production at Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich, and Technical Director at the English National Opera.

Commenting on this appointment, ENO Chair, Dr Harry Brunjes says, “On behalf of all at ENO I was delighted when Louise Jeffreys accepted the role as Deputy Chair of English National Opera and the London Coliseum.   Louise is respected and admired throughout the artistic community.  The ENO will be enhanced by her knowledge, commitment and general common sense. ”

“At the same time Louise will become Chair of the Artistic Committee.  There is a certain resonance to this as Louise has spent a substantial part of her career at ENO.  Louise is a wonderful colleague to work with and we are lucky to have her.”

Louise Jeffreys adds, “It is a real privilege to take on this position. ENO is a company that has meant so much to me and I am excited to continue to play a role in this exciting and forward-thinking organisation, and supporting the wonderful executive team.”