ENO brings together opera and dance with director Daniel Kramer and Michael Keegan-Dolan’s dance company Fabulous Beast for a rare double bill of Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle and Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring conducted by ENO Music Director Edward Gardner at the London Coliseum.

Daniel Kramer, who won the 2009 South Bank Show Award for Opera for the ENO and Young Vic co-production of Punch and Judy, makes his Coliseum directing debut with Bartók’s only opera, the one-act masterpiece Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. Kramer’s theatre credits include Angels in America (Headlong, Glasgow Citizens and Lyric Hammersmith), Bent (Trafalgar Studios) and Hair (Gate Theatre, Notting Hill).

The piece, based on the chilling fairy-tale by Charles Perrault, was written in 1911. Duke Bluebeard brings his new wife Judith home to his castle, which has seven doors and no windows. Judith is intrigued to know what lies behind each of the seven closed doors.

The design is by Giles Cadle, whose credits include ENO’s staging of Punch and Judy, His Dark Materials for the National Theatre and No Man’s Land in the West End. The lighting design is provided by Peter Mumford. The title role is sung by Clive Bayley opposite Michaela Martens as Judith. Their most recent appearances with ENO were Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Kostelnicka in Jenufa respectively.

Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring is arguably the most influential piece of twentieth century music and was at the time of composition, considered to be very controversial. Michael Keegan-Dolan director and choreographer of Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre, described as ‘one of the most daring and highly original dance theatre companies in the world’ (The Times) directs his Company of more than twenty dancers in Stravinsky’s ballet in which a young girl is sacrificed on the altar of her community’s future. The design is by Rae Smith with lighting by Adam Silverman.

Duke Bluebeard’s Castle & The Rite of Spring open at the London Coliseum on 6 November for 7 performances - 6, 10, 12, 14 (early start at 6.30pm), 20, 25 & 28 (early start at 6.30pm) November at 7.30pm.

These productions are supported by a syndicate of donors.

The Rite of Spring is a co-production with Fabulous Best Dance Theatre and is supported by Culture Ireland. Fabulous Beast is supported by the Arts Council of Ireland.

Pre-performance talk by John Deathridge: 10 November, 5.30pm, London Coliseum, £4
Post- performance talk with Fabulous Beast: 14 November, London Coliseum, FREE

Box Office: 0871 911 0200 or online www.eno.org