English National Opera announces new programme of work in Manchester

English National Opera (ENO) has announced plans for a three-year collaboration with Greater Manchester as part of a strategy to establish a permanent presence in the region by 2029.

The programme will include a new immersive production of Einstein on the Beach, a collaboration with Factory International, Improbable, and Park Avenue Armory in New York, set to premiere in Spring 2027. Directed by Phelim McDermott, the work follows ENO’s productions of Glass operas Satyagraha and Akhnaten.

In May 2026, ENO will stage the UK premiere of Angel’s Bone by Du Yun and Royce Vavrek at Aviva Studios, in collaboration with Factory International and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. This Pulitzer Prize-winning contemporary opera explores modern slavery and human trafficking.

ENO will also bring its production of Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring to the Lowry in October 2025, performed with the Orchestra of English National Opera. A staged concert version of Mozart’s Così fan tutte will be presented at Bridgewater Hall in February 2026.

A youth opera company for people aged 13 to 19 from underrepresented backgrounds will be created in collaboration with Greater Manchester and Blackburn with Darwen Music Hub, with support from the Royal Northern College of Music. The programme, set to begin in September 2025, aims to broaden access to opera and develop future talent. A special performance by the ENO Chorus and the Hallé will take place as part of Manchester Classical at The Bridgewater Hall in Summer 2025.

In a separate community-focused initiative, ENO will link opera with local football through a collaboration with Salford-based Walk the Plank. This project, titled Perfect Pitch, will explore the relationship between singing, team performance, and audience experience.

ENO’s award-winning creative health programme, ENO Breathe, originally designed for COVID-19 recovery, will be expanded in partnership with NHS Greater Manchester to support people with respiratory conditions such as COPD and asthma.

To encourage innovation in opera, ENO will launch several development initiatives. The Creative Incubator, in collaboration with the Royal Northern College of Music, will provide mentorship and performance opportunities for artists and composers creating new operatic work. Opera Factory GM, a collaboration with Factory International, will explore interdisciplinary approaches to opera, such as immersive environments and mixed reality experiences.

The partnership will develop alongside ENO’s ongoing annual seasons at the London Coliseum and its national education and health programmes. Further details, including ticket information, will be announced at a later date.