ENO will debut its first performances in Greater Manchester this evening, with Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring opening at Lowry in Salford Quays, as part of its new partnership with the region.  

This autumn sees the fruition of ENO’s highly anticipated artistic work in Greater Manchester, with the company presenting a vibrant new production of Britten’s quirky coming-of-age comedy.  

Albert Herring will be on stage at Lowry for two performances on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 October, following two critically acclaimed performances at the London Coliseum on Monday 13 and Thursday 16 October.  

It is the first time in its history that the company has presented Britten’s comic opera, despite its strong connection with the works of Benjamin Britten. ENO has a rich history of staging the composer’s work; notably, Britten’s first large-scale opera, Peter Grimes, was premiered by Sadler’s Wells Opera (which later became ENO) in 1945.  

Directed and designed by Antony McDonald and conducted by Daniel Cohen, the production stars young tenor Caspar Singh in the title role of unlikely rebel Albert.  

The limited London run of Albert Herring garnered 4-star reviews and was enjoyed by reviewers and audiences alike. The Observer praised ENO’s ‘witty’ production of ‘Benjamin Britten’s oddball masterpiece’, while The Telegraph described it as ‘a delight’. The i Paper called it ‘a cracker of a show’, ‘brilliant’ and ‘vintage ENO’ and The Arts Desk ‘A great comedy… Don’t miss it.’ In the words of The Guardian, ‘ENO heralds a new era’ with ‘a fluent and finely sung take on Britten’s 1947 comic opera’.  

 

Annilese Miskimmon, Artistic Director of ENO, commented:   

‘We are proud of our long history of presenting the work of Benjamin Britten to a wide audience. From Peter Grimes to Billy Budd and The Turn of the Screw, Britten remains a crucial inspiration for us. And we are especially delighted that we will be able to present this work to Manchester audiences as part of our shared plans with the Greater Manchester region.’ 

Lowry CEO Julia Fawcett OBE said:   

‘We are delighted to welcome English National Opera to Greater Manchester and look forward to the forthcoming production of Albert Herring, which we are delighted to present direct from London. This landmark moment and partnership will help bring the magic of opera to even more people across the North West, opening doors for new audiences to experience what we know will be an unforgettable performance.’