Synopsis When his adored sister's death awakes him to a realisation of life's essential absurdity, the Roman emperor Caligula embarks upon an orgy of sexual depravity and sadistic cruelty in an apparently insane attempt to free himself from the shackles of mortality and morality. Based upon Albert Camus's existentialist response to the rise of Hitler and Stalin, but as topical as ever in the era of Saddam Hussein and Colonel Gaddafi, Detlev Glanert's 2006 opera - ?perhaps the finest German opera of the 21st century' (Tempo) - offers a disturbing insight into the self-destructive logic driving a decadent and dangerous dictatorship. Audacious young Australian director Benedict Andrews highlights the timeliness of the opera's themes by setting his UK premiere production in a football stadium, the kind of vast public arena within which dictators habitually play out their political games. New Production. Running time: 2hrs 30mins
Opened by Oswald Stoll on 24 Dec 1904. The first London theatre with a revolving stage. Home of the English National Opera (ENO). 2358 seats, the largest theatre in London, built in 1904 and very sophisticated at the time. The globe at the top was meant to revolve, but this wasn't allowed and 'chaser' lights were installed instead. Home of the ENO. since 1968. Society of London Theatre member. Restoration work costing £41m started in 2001 and due to be completed by 2004 to coincide with the centenary of the Coliseum. During the restoration an artistic programme will be staged.
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