English National Opera (ENO) is set to stage a landmark new production that neatly captures its evolving identity as a truly national company.
This autumn, Angel’s Bone, the acclaimed work by Du Yun, will open at the London Coliseum, following its UK premiere earlier in the year in Greater Manchester.
Where and when:
- Aviva Studios, 12-16 May: ticket link
- London Coliseum, 16-31 Oct: ticket link
The move highlights ENO’s increasingly confident dual-centre model, with major productions shared between London and the North.
The opera will debut at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International, on 12 May 2026, before transferring to London on 16 Oct 2026.
Audiences in both regions will also benefit from ENO’s popular Under 21s scheme, which continues to offer free tickets to young people across all performances.
Realising work at this scale in two locations allows us to think differently about how opera is made and shared. It’s about far more than geography – it’s about generating new energy around opera, expanding opportunity and ensuring the artform remains a vital force within the national cultural landscape.
Annilese Miskimmon, Artistic Director, English National Opera
Angel’s Bone is a powerful and unsettling story. It follows a struggling couple who discover two injured angels and attempt to nurse them back to health, only for their apparent kindness to give way to exploitation.
With its unflinching exploration of human trafficking and modern-day slavery, the opera remains as urgent and provocative as ever.
Musically, the piece is as daring as its subject matter. Du Yun’s score blends medieval polyphony with punk, electronics and cabaret, while a libretto by Royce Vavrek brings a sharp theatrical edge.
Since winning the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Music, the work has been widely recognised as one of the most important operas of the past decade.
This new production also marks the UK opera debut of director Kip Williams, who reunites with designer Marg Horwell following a string of acclaimed collaborations (The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dracula).
They are joined by a creative team including lighting designer Jack Knowles and video designer Ash J Woodward, promising a visually striking staging.
Conducting duties fall to Baldur Brönniman, whose Manchester roots at the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) add a meaningful connection to the production’s northern premiere.
Collaborations like this demonstrate what is possible when organisations work together with vision and ambition
John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Factory International
Collaboration sits at the heart of the project. The Manchester run is presented with Factory International and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, while performances in London will feature the ENO Orchestra.
The Kantos Chamber Choir will appear in both cities, helping to bridge the two iterations, each of which will be shaped by its venue to create distinct audience experiences.
Beyond the stage, the partnership extends into training and skills development. ENO and Factory International are working together to expand Factory Academy’s vocational programmes into opera, with paid backstage placements on Angel’s Bone available from spring 2026.
The initiative aims to open up pathways into the industry for people in Greater Manchester, particularly those from under-represented backgrounds.
The production exemplifies ENO’s ambition: pairing world-class artistic work with meaningful regional investment.
In bringing Angel’s Bone to both Manchester and London, and in building opportunities alongside it, the company is not just staging opera, but reshaping how and where it is made.