English National Opera and London Musical Theatre Orchestra Announce A Christmas Carol Collaboration

16th December 2019 in Press

A Christmas Carol, 1 – 6 December 2020 (10 performances)

English National Opera (ENO) today announces A Christmas Carol, a festive spectacular in collaboration with London Musical Theatre Orchestra (LMTO).

The new semi-staged production of the musical will feature a soon to be announced all-star cast, with over 100 performers on stage, combining the forces of LMTO – the world’s only professional orchestra dedicated to performing musical theatre repertoire – with members of ENO’s award-winning orchestra and chorus.

Based on Charles Dickens’ much-loved 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol tells the story of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, who experiences a Christmas like no other as spirits try to show him the error of his ways, before it’s too late.

Stuart Murphy, CEO, ENO and London Coliseum says: ‘English National Opera is delighted to announce another exceptional  symphonic musical at the London Coliseum. Investing and producing A Christmas Carol with our partners at LMTO allows us to use ENO’s brilliant orchestra and chorus at Christmas, create additional income to support future opera as well as perform the work of Academy Award-winning Alan Menken in this Dickens classic.’

Freddie Tapner, CEO and Artistic Director for the London Musical Theatre Orchestra comments: ‘LMTO is thrilled to be working alongside ENO to bring this much-loved show to an even wider audience. Our previous concert versions have signalled the start of Christmas for thousands of theatre goers, and now with this new staging we’re bringing the story to even richer life with glorious costumes, an epic combined orchestra of ENO and LMTO and spectacular choreography by Broadway legend Susan Stroman.’

Written by the critically acclaimed team of Alan Menken, Lynn Ahrens and Mike Ockrent, the stage musical of A Christmas Carol first premiered in 1994 at New York’s Paramount Theatre, where it was described as ‘a tonic for adults, and for children a transfixing journey‘ (the New York Times). It ran for a decade, and was adapted into a film in 2004. LMTO previously performed A Christmas Carol in concert format to sell-out audiences and five star reviews in 2016, 2017 and 2018 at the Lyceum Theatre.

The music is by Alan Menken whose film scores and songs for The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and Pocahontas (1995) have each won him two Academy Awards.

Lyrics are by multi-award winner Lynn Ahrens (Once On This Island (1995) (Olivier Award), Ragtime (1998), A Man of No Importance (2003) and Oscar-nominee for Anastasia (1998)) who also collaborated on the musical’s book with Mike Ockrent, director and co-adaptor of the Olivier Award-winning Me and My Girl (1985) and whose Broadway production of Crazy for You (1992), won three Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards.

Choreography is by five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman. Stroman is the recipient of two Olivier Awards for Oklahoma! (1991) and Crazy for You (1993), five Drama Desk Awards, eight Outer Critics Circle Awards including one for A Christmas Carol (1995), and the George Abbott Award for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater.

A Christmas Carol will be the 5th semi-staged musical to be performed at the London Coliseum; the largest stage in London’s West End. Previous successes include Sweeney Todd, Sunset Boulevard and Carousel.

A Christmas Carol will run for 10 performances over 6 days at the beginning of December 2020.

Tickets go on sale on the 16 December (priority booking) and 18 December (public booking) at 12 noon.

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Notes to Editors:

About English National Opera

English National Opera is the national opera company dedicated to one simple aim: making opera for everyone. We sing in English to be as accessible to the widest possible audience, as well as offering tickets for as little as ten pounds and we create opera that feels different, more theatrical and creatively daring. We’ve been doing this to an internationally recognised standard since being founded in 1931 as Sadler’s Wells Opera.

We are determined to open up the genre: nearly half of our audiences in 2018/19 were first-time bookers. Our learning and participation programme ENO Baylis last year touched the lives of more than 15,000 school children and community groups, and our talent development programme nurtures the careers of singers (the ENO Harewood Artist programme) and conductors (the Charles Mackerras Fellowship). We also give free tickets to Under 18s in our balcony for opening nights, Friday and Saturday performances.

Last year, the percentage of audience members under 44 increased by 13% year-on-year and the proportion of our audience with a black or minority ethnic background increased from 4% to 10%. In January of this year, we announced that we would be recruiting four new members of our Chorus from a BAME background, as well as four BAME Director Observerships.

Our ongoing support and development of British talent meant 80% of the cast in the 2017-18 season were British or British trained. That’s important to us and is fundamental to our ethos of giving new talent their break.

ENO is about opera for everyone.

 

About London Musical Theatre Orchestra

The London Musical Theatre Orchestra is the world’s only professional orchestra dedicated to performing works of musical theatre. Born from a desire to perform musical scores with a full, symphonic orchestra, we celebrate this remarkable genre of music with world-class musicians and singers. LMTO is passionate about introducing audiences to the joys of a full orchestra performing a musical, and is committed to supporting young musicians as they enter the professional world.

LMTO Patrons:
Larry Blank
Jason Robert Brown
Anthony Drewe
Michael Feinstein
Julian Fellowes
Paul Gemignani
Howard Goodall
Andrew Lippa
Alan Menken
Stephen Schwartz
George Stiles
Clive Woodward

 

These performances are presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International Europe.