English National Opera (ENO) has announced the programme for its upcoming 2024-25 season at the London Coliseum. Running from 26 September 2024 to 22 February 2025, the season will see the company present eight productions and concerts at its London home.

The season, which goes ahead while planning continues for the ENO’s future in Greater Manchester, will mark the centenary of Puccini’s death with the return of Jonathan Miller’s production of La bohème and two semi-staged concert performances of Suor Angelica, the second part in Puccini’s Il trittico.

The semi-staged concert will be directed by ENO artistic director Annilese Miskimmon, who said: ‘We are delighted to make this announcement today, reaffirming our commitment to great opera for our London audiences at the London Coliseum, with more news about our plans in Greater Manchester coming later this year. This London season encompasses not only classics of the operatic repertoire but also unjustly neglected masterpieces and new productions that tell stories of romance, madness, tragedy and the supernatural. At ENO, opera is for everyone and I hope both new and current audiences will join us for this compelling and entertaining season.’

Other new productions will include Isabella Bywater’s interpretation of Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, which will include ENO debuts from conductors Duncan Ward and Charlotte Corderoy. Further debuts will include conductor Teresa Riveiro Böhm and director Harry Fehr who present a new production of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love set in England during World War II.

The season also brings revivals of productions including Jonathan Miller’s Rigoletto. Originally premiered at the ENO in 1982 and last seen in 2017, Miller brings Verdi’s characters forward to the 1950’s in New York’s Little Italy. Mike Leigh’s production of The Pirates of Penzance will return for its second revival in December, with conductor Natalie Murray Beale making her ENO debut and baritone Richard Suart (who also holds the role of vice-president of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society) reprising the role of Major-General Stanley.

Joe Hill-Gibbins returns in February 2025 to direct his production of The Marriage of Figaro in its first revival alongside the ENO debut of conductor Ainārs Rubiķis. A new semi-staged concert performance of the renowned composer Thea Musgrave’s Mary, Queen of Scots closes the London Coliseum season, and marks the first time in company history this opera is performed. Presented for two performances on 15 and 18 February 2025, this concert will be conducted by Joana Carneiro. 

A longer version of this article first appeared in Classical Music UK

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