Phelim McDermott returns to ENO to direct a once-in-a-generation staging of Philip Glass’s iconic opera

Improbable Theatre Company’s Artistic Director Phelim McDermott returns to ENO to direct Philip Glass’s Akhnaten. This iconic opera received its UK premiere at ENO in 1985 and has not been performed fully-staged in the UK since ENO’s 1987 revival. One of the most exciting cultural events of 2016, The Guardian has described these performances as “a once-in-a-generation chance to hear Glass’s score in the theatrical flesh”.

Watching Akhnaten is a visually spectacular and powerfully mesmerising experience. The opera explores the life and religious convictions of the Egyptian pharaoh, and uses texts drawn from ancient hymns, prayers, letters and inscriptions sung in their original Egyptian, Hebrew and Akkadian. It forms the last of Philip Glass’s trilogy of ‘portrait’ operas in which he explores the lives of great historical figures in the fields of science (Einstein), politics (Gandhi) and religion (Akhnaten).

The UK premiere of the opera by ENO in 1985 marked the beginning of a very special relationship between Philip Glass and the Company. Phelim McDermott, described by The Guardian as “one of the most energising and provocative forces in British theatre”, has since directed the London premiere of Glass’s Satyagraha (2007) and the UK premiere of The Perfect American (2013) for ENO. Described by The Times as “a masterwork of theatrical intensity and integrity”, the UK premiere of Satyagraha broke box office records for contemporary opera, making it the most popular contemporary work to have been performed by ENO.

Conductor Karen Kamensek, Music Director at Hannover’s Staatstheater since 2011, makes her ENO debut. An expert in the work of Philip Glass, she premiered his work Orphée with the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra in New York. She has also conducted the world premiere of Glass’s Les Enfants Terribles at the Spoleto Festival in the USA, and his music for Büchner’s play Woyzeck at the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo will return to the London Coliseum to take the title role in this production. Winner of Placido Domingo’s Operalia competition in 2013, he made his ENO debut in Peter Sellars’s 2015 production of The Indian Queen; his performance as Ixbalanqué was described as “superb” by theartsdesk.com.

British Mezzo soprano Emma Carrington will make her ENO and role debuts as Akhnaten’s wife, Nefertiti. She has previously performed at opera houses in the UK and around the world, including with Opera North, Welsh National Opera, Grange Park Opera and at the Buxton Festival.

English soprano Rebecca Bottone will sing the role of Queen Tye, Akhnaten’s Mother, for the first time. She has previously appeared at English National Opera in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers (2006, 2007) and Ligeti’s Grand Macabre (2009).

British baritone James Cleverton returns to ENO to debut the role of General and future Pharaoh, Horemhab. He first performed with ENO in 2009 singing the role of Oppenheimer in Penny Woolcock’s production of John Adams’s Doctor Atomic.

Clive Bayley will sing the bass role of Aye, Nefertiti’s father and advisor to the Pharaoh, for the first time. His regular appearances with ENO include an “impressive” (The Stage) performance as Daland in The Flying Dutchman and “outstanding vocally and dramatically” (The Daily Mail) appearances as Coppelius in The Tales of Hoffmann (both 2012).

Completing the cast are Colin Judson as the High Priest of Amon and Clare Eggington, Alexa Mason, Rosie Lomas, Anna Huntley, Katie Bray and Victoria Gray as the six Daughters of Akhnaten.