Editing English National Opera

{{short description|Opera company based in London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
[[File:London-coliseum.jpg|thumb|alt=Exterior of large theatre|The [[London Coliseum]], home of The English National Opera]]
[[File:London Coliseum auditorium 003.jpg|thumb|right|Detail of the interior of the London Coliseum, 2011]]
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'''English National Opera''' ('''ENO''') is a British opera company based in London, resident at the [[London Coliseum]] in [[St Martin's Lane]]. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with [[The Royal Opera]]. ENO's productions are sung in English.

The company's origins were in the late 19th century, when the philanthropist [[Emma Cons]], later assisted by her niece [[Lilian Baylis]], presented theatrical and operatic performances at the [[Old Vic]], for the benefit of local people. Baylis subsequently built up both the opera and the theatre companies, and later added a ballet company; these evolved into the ENO, the [[Royal National Theatre]] and [[The Royal Ballet]], respectively.

Baylis acquired and rebuilt the [[Sadler's Wells]] theatre in north London, a larger house, better suited to opera than the Old Vic. The opera company grew there into a permanent ensemble in the 1930s. During the Second World War, the theatre was closed and the company toured British towns and cities. After the war, the company returned to its home, but it continued to expand and improve.  By the 1960s, a larger theatre was needed. In 1968, the company moved to the London Coliseum and adopted its present name in 1974.

Among the conductors associated with the company have been [[Colin Davis]], [[Reginald Goodall]], [[Charles Mackerras]], [[Mark Elder]] and [[Edward Gardner (conductor)|Edward Gardner]]. The most recent music director of the ENO was [[Martyn Brabbins]].  Noted directors who have staged productions at the ENO have included [[David Pountney]], [[Jonathan Miller]], [[Nicholas Hytner]], [[Phyllida Lloyd]] and [[Calixto Bieito]]. The ENO's current artistic director is [[Annilese Miskimmon]]. In addition to the core operatic repertoire, the company has presented a wide range of works, from early operas by [[Claudio Monteverdi|Monteverdi]] to new commissions, [[operetta]] and [[musical theatre|Broadway]] shows.

==History==

===Foundations===
[[File:Emma-Cons-1897.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=image of elderly woman in Victorian dress|Emma Cons]]
In 1889, [[Emma Cons]], a [[Victorian era|Victorian]] philanthropist who ran the [[Old Vic]] theatre in a working-class area of London, began presenting regular fortnightly performances of opera excerpts. Although the theatre licensing laws of the day prevented full costumed performances,{{refn|The Old Vic was officially classed as a [[music hall]], and was therefore not licensed to stage opera.<ref>Schafer, p. 85</ref>|group= n}} Cons presented condensed versions of well-known operas, always sung in English. Among the performers were noted singers such as [[Charles Santley]].<ref>Gilbert, p. 11</ref> These operatic evenings quickly became more popular than the dramas that Cons had been staging separately. In 1898, she recruited her niece [[Lilian Baylis]] to help run the theatre. At the same time she appointed [[Charles Corri]] as the Old Vic's musical director.<ref>"Obituary – Mr. Charles Corri", ''The Times'', 13 June 1941, p. 7</ref> Baylis and Corri, despite many disagreements, shared a passionate belief in popularising opera, hitherto generally the preserve of the rich and fashionable.<ref>Schafer, p. 106</ref> They worked on a tiny budget, with an amateur chorus and a professional orchestra of only 18 players, for whom Corri rescored the instrumental parts of the operas.<ref>Schafer, pp. 104–105</ref> By the early years of the 20th century, the Old Vic was able to present semi-staged versions of [[Richard Wagner|Wagner]] operas.<ref>Schafer, p. 124</ref>

Emma Cons died in 1912, leaving her estate, including the Old Vic, to Baylis, who dreamed of transforming the theatre into a "people's opera house".<ref>Schafer, p. 181</ref> In the same year, Baylis obtained a licence to allow the Old Vic to stage full performances of operas.<ref>Schafer, p. 102</ref> In the 1914–1915 season, Baylis staged 16 operas and 16 plays (13 of which were by [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]).<ref name=gilbert23>Gilbert, p. 23</ref>{{refn|The operas were: ''[[Carmen]]'','' [[La fille du régiment|The Daughter of the Regiment]]'', ''[[Lucia di Lammermoor]]'', ''[[Lohengrin (opera)|Lohengrin]]'', ''[[Faust (opera)|Faust]]'', ''[[La traviata]]'', ''Il trovatore'', ''[[Rigoletto]]'', ''[[Cavalleria rusticana]]'' and ''[[Pagliacci]]'', ''[[Martha (opera)|Martha]]'', ''[[Fra Diavolo (opera)|Fra Diavolo]]'', ''[[The Lily of Killarney]]'', ''[[Maritana]]'', ''[[The Bohemian Girl]]'' and ''[[Don Giovanni]]''.<ref name=gilbert23/>|group= n}} In the years after the First World War, Baylis's Shakespeare productions, which featured some of the leading actors from London's [[West End theatre|West End]], attracted national attention, as her shoe-string opera productions did not. The opera, however, remained her first priority.<ref>Gilbert, p. 29</ref> The [[actor-manager]] [[Robert Atkins (actor)|Robert Atkins]], who worked closely with Baylis on her Shakespearean productions, recalled, "Opera, on Thursday and Saturday nights, played to bulging houses."<ref>"The Lady of Waterloo Road", ''The Times'', 30 March 1974, p. 9</ref>

===Vic-Wells===
[[File:Old-sadlers-wells-1879.jpg|thumb|300px|left|alt=drawing of exterior of Victorian theatre|The old Sadler's Wells, demolished to make way for Baylis's theatre]]
By the 1920s, Baylis concluded that the Old Vic no longer sufficed to house both her theatre and her opera companies. She noticed the empty and derelict [[Sadler's Wells]] theatre in Rosebery Avenue, [[Islington]], on the other side of London from the Old Vic.  She sought to run it in tandem with her existing theatre.<ref name=wells>[https://www.jstor.org/stable/922643 "The Story of Sadler's Wells"], ''[[The Musical Times]]'', September 1937, pp. 781–786 {{subscription}}</ref>

Baylis made a public appeal for funds in 1925.  With the help of the [[Carnegie United Kingdom Trust|Carnegie Trust]] and many others, she acquired the [[Freehold (law)|freehold]] of Sadler's Wells.<ref>Rowe, R.P.P. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/726748 "The Old Vic and Sadler's Wells"], ''Music & Letters'', April 1932, pp. 141–146 {{subscription}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101220/https://www.jstor.org/stable/726748 |date=20 March 2021 }}</ref> Work started on the site in 1926.  By Christmas 1930, a completely new 1,640-seat theatre was ready for occupation.<ref name=wells/> The first production there, a fortnight's run from 6 January 1931, was Shakespeare's ''[[Twelfth Night]]''. The first opera, given on 20 January, was ''[[Carmen]].'' Eighteen operas were staged during the first season.<ref name=wells/>

The new theatre was more expensive to run than the Old Vic, as a larger orchestra and more singers were needed, and box office receipts were at first inadequate. In 1932, the ''[[Birmingham Post]]'' commented that the Vic-Wells opera performances did not reach the standards of the Vic-Wells Shakespeare productions.<ref>Gilbert, p. 46</ref> Baylis strove to improve operatic standards, while at the same time fending off attempts by [[Thomas Beecham|Sir Thomas Beecham]] to absorb the opera company into a joint enterprise with Covent Garden, where he was in command.<ref>Gilbert, p. 49</ref> At first, the apparent financial security of the offer appeared attractive, but friends and advisers such as [[Edward Joseph Dent|Edward J. Dent]] and [[Clive Carey]] convinced Bayliss that it was not in the interests of her regular audience.<ref>Gilbert, p. 51</ref> This view received strong support from the press; ''[[The Times]]'' wrote:

<blockquote>The Old Vic began by offering opera of some sort to people who hardly knew what the word meant ... under a wise, fostering guidance it has gradually worked upwards ...Any kind of amalgamation which made it the poor relation of the 'Grand' season would be disastrous.<ref>"Operatic Policies – The Case for Duality", ''The Times'', 11 June 1932, p. 10</ref></blockquote>

[[File:Lilian-baylis.jpg|thumb|right|alt=head and shoulders image of a woman in academic cap and gown|Lilian Baylis]]
At first, Baylis presented both drama and opera at each of her theatres.  The companies were known as the "Vic-Wells".  However, for both aesthetic and financial reasons, by 1934, the Old Vic had become the home of the spoken drama, while Sadler's Wells housed both the opera and a ballet company, the latter co-founded by Baylis and [[Ninette de Valois]] in 1930.<ref name=wells/>{{refn|''The Times'' reported in 1933: "Experience in the previous season had shown that opera was more popular than drama at the Rosebery Avenue theatre and that the position was to some extent reversed at the Old Vic, where an audience faithful to Shakespeare had been built up over a period of many years."<ref>The Production of Opera – Vic-Wells Methods", ''The Times'', 22 April 1933, p. 8</ref>|group= n}}

[[Lawrance Collingwood]] joined the company as resident conductor alongside Corri.  With the increased number of productions, guest conductors were recruited, including [[Geoffrey Toye]] and [[Anthony Collins (composer)|Anthony Collins]].<ref name=wells/> The increasing success of the new ballet company helped to subsidise the high cost of opera productions, enabling a further increase in the size of the orchestra, to 48 players.<ref>Gilbert, p. 58</ref> Among the singers in the opera company were [[Joan Cross]] and [[Edith Coates]].<ref>"Sadler's Wells", ''The Times'', 18 April 1931, p. 8</ref> In the 1930s, the company presented standard repertoire operas by [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart|Mozart]], [[Giuseppe Verdi|Verdi]], Wagner and [[Giacomo Puccini|Puccini]], lighter works by [[Michael William Balfe|Balfe]], [[Gaetano Donizetti|Donizetti]], [[Jacques Offenbach|Offenbach]] and [[Johann Strauss II|Johann Strauss]], some novelties, among which were operas by [[Gustav Holst|Holst]], [[Ethel Smyth]] and [[Charles Villiers Stanford]], and an unusual attempt at staging an oratorio, [[Felix Mendelssohn|Mendelssohn]]'s ''[[Elijah (oratorio)|Elijah]]''.<ref name=wells/>

In November 1937, Baylis died of a heart attack. Her three companies continued under the direction of her appointed successors: [[Tyrone Guthrie]] at the Old Vic, in overall charge of both theatres, with de Valois running the ballet, and Carey and two colleagues running the opera.<ref>Gilbert, pp. 63–66</ref> In the Second World War, the government requisitioned Sadler's Wells as a refuge for those made homeless by air-raids. Guthrie decided to keep the opera going as a small touring ensemble of 20 performers. Between 1942 and the war's end in 1945, the company toured continuously, visiting 87 venues. Joan Cross led and managed the company, and also sang leading soprano roles in its productions when needed. The size of the company was increased to 50, and then to 80.<ref>Gilbert, pp. 79 and 83</ref> By 1945, its members included singers from a new generation such as [[Peter Pears]] and [[Owen Brannigan]], and the conductor [[Reginald Goodall]].<ref>Gilbert, pp. 86, 89 and 95</ref>

===Sadler's Wells Opera===
[[File:Royal Opera House and ballerina.jpg|thumb|left|alt=exterior of neo-classical theatre, with a statue outside of a ballerina|Covent Garden – rival and potential senior partner]]
Both Sadler's Wells and the Royal Opera House had presented no opera or ballet since 1939. The Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts ([[Arts Council of Great Britain|CEMA]]), the official government body charged with dispensing the modest public subsidy recently introduced, considered its options on the future of opera in Britain.  CEMA concluded that a new Covent Garden company should be established, as a year-round, permanent ensemble, singing in English, instead of the shorter international seasons of pre-war years. This was a potential path to merge the two companies, as the modus operandi of the new Covent Garden company was now similar to that of Sadler's Wells.<ref>Haltrecht, pp. 55–56</ref> However, [[David Webster (opera manager)|David Webster]], who was appointed to run Covent Garden, though keen to secure de Valois' ballet company for Covent Garden, did not want the Sadler's Wells opera company. He considered Sadler's Wells to be a worthy organisation, but also "dowdy" and "stodgy".<ref name=h56/> Even with a policy of singing in English, he believed that he could assemble a better company.<ref name=h56>Haltrecht, p. 56</ref> The management of Sadler's Wells was unwilling to lose its company's name and tradition. It was agreed that the two companies should remain separate.<ref>Haltrecht, p. 59</ref>

Divisions within the company threatened its continued existence. Cross announced her intention to re-open Sadler's Wells theatre with ''[[Peter Grimes]]'' by [[Benjamin Britten]], with herself and Pears in the leading roles.  Many complaints resulted about supposed favouritism and the "cacophony" of Britten's score.<ref>Gilbert, p. 98</ref> ''Peter Grimes'' opened in June 1945, to both public and critical acclaim;<ref>See, for example, "Sadler's Wells Opera – 'Peter Grimes'", ''The Times'', 8 June 1945, p. 6, and [[William Glock|Glock, William]]. "Music", ''[[The Observer]]'', 10 June 1945, p. 2</ref> its box-office takings matched or exceeded those for ''[[La bohème]]'' and ''[[Madama Butterfly|Madame Butterfly]]'', which the company was concurrently staging.<ref>Banks, pp. xvi–xviii.</ref> However, the rift within the company was irreparable.  Cross, Britten and Pears severed their ties with Sadler's Wells in December 1945 and founded the [[English Opera Group]].<ref>Gilbert, p. 107</ref> The departure of the ballet company to Covent Garden two months later deprived Sadler's Wells of an important source of income, as the ballet had been profitable and had since its inception subsidised the opera company.<ref>Gilbert, pp. 54 and 108</ref>{{refn|Although now based at Covent Garden, de Valois' company continued to be called the Sadler's Wells Ballet until it received the title "The Royal Ballet" in 1957.<ref>Bland, Alexander. "Ballet", ''The Observer'', 20 January 1957, p. 9, and Gilbert, p. 108</ref>|group= n}}

Clive Carey, who had been in Australia during the war, was brought back to replace Joan Cross and rebuild the company. The critic [[Philip Hope-Wallace]] wrote in 1946 that Carey had begun to make a difference, but that Sadler's Wells needed "a big heave to get out of mediocrity".<ref>Gilbert, p. 109</ref> In the same year, ''[[The Times Literary Supplement]]'' asked whether the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells companies would stick to their old bases, "or shall they boldly embrace the ideal of a National Theatre and a National Opera in English?"<ref>"Drama in Practice and Theory", ''The Times Literary Supplement'', 12 January 1946, p. 21</ref> Carey left in 1947, replaced in January 1948 by a triumvirate of [[James Robertson (conductor)|James Robertson]] as musical director, Michael Mudie as his assistant conductor and [[Norman Tucker]] in charge of administration.<ref>"Sadler's Wells Directors", ''The Manchester Guardian'', 6 January 1948, p. 3</ref> From October 1948, Tucker was given sole control. Mudie became ill, and the young [[Charles Mackerras]] was appointed to deputise for him.<ref>Gilbert, p. 119</ref>

[[File:Leos Janacek relief.jpg|thumb|alt=wall plaque with profile of a man's head; he is elderly with a moustache and a full head of hair|upright|[[Leoš Janáček|Janáček]], championed by [[Charles Mackerras]] and the company]]
By 1950 Sadler's Wells was receiving a public subsidy of £40,000 a year, whilst Covent Garden received £145,000.<ref>Brown, Ivor. "Where the Money Goes", ''The Observer'', 15 January 1950, p. 6</ref> Tucker had to give up the option of staging the premiere of Britten's ''[[Billy Budd (opera)|Billy Budd]]'', for lack of resources.  Keen to improve the dramatic aspects of opera production, Tucker engaged eminent theatrical directors including [[Michel Saint-Denis]], [[George Devine]] and [[Glen Byam Shaw]] worked on Sadler's Wells productions in the 1950s. New repertoire was explored, such as the first British staging of [[Leoš Janáček|Janáček]]'s ''[[Káťa Kabanová]]'', at Mackerras's urging.<ref name=los/> Standards and company morale were improving.  ''The Manchester Guardian'' summed up the 1950–51 London opera season as "Excitement at Sadler's Wells: Lack of Distinction at Covent Garden" and judged Sadler's Wells to have moved "into the front rank of opera houses".<ref name=los>Hope-Wallace, Philip. "The London Opera Season", ''The Manchester Guardian'', 13 November 1950, p. 3</ref>

The company continued to leave Rosebery Avenue for summer tours to British cities and towns. The Arts Council (successor to CEMA) was sensitive to the charge that since 1945, far fewer opera performances had been given in the provinces. The small [[Carl Rosa Opera Company]] toured constantly, but the Covent Garden company visited only those few cities with theatres big enough to accommodate it. In the mid-1950s, renewed calls appeared for a reorganisation of Britain's opera companies. There were proposals for a new home for Sadler's Wells on the South Bank of the Thames near the [[Royal Festival Hall]], which fell through because the government was unwilling to fund the building.<ref>Gilbert, p. 113</ref>

Once again, there was serious talk of merging Covent Garden and Sadler's Wells.<ref>Haltrecht, p. 221</ref> The Sadler's Wells board countered by proposing a closer working arrangement with Carl Rosa.<ref>Gilbert, pp. 142–143</ref> When it became clear that this would require the Sadler's Wells company to tour for 30 weeks every year, effectively removing its presence on the London opera scene, Tucker, his deputy [[Stephen Arlen]], and his musical director [[Alexander Gibson (conductor)|Alexander Gibson]] resigned. The proposals were modified, and the three withdrew their resignations. In 1960, the Carl Rosa Company was dissolved.<ref name=rosa>[http://www.carlrosaopera.co.uk/history/uk-ushistory.asp "American and British History"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208152042/http://www.carlrosaopera.co.uk/history/uk-ushistory.asp |date=8 February 2012 }}, Carl Rosa Opera, 2009, accessed 19 July 2015</ref> Sadler's Wells took over some of its members and many of its touring dates, setting up "two interchangeable companies of equal standing", one of which played at Sadler's Wells theatre while the other was on the road.<ref name=goodman>Goodman and Harewood, pp. 11–12</ref>

[[File:Colin Davis (1967).jpg|thumb|upright|left|alt=head and shoulders of a man in evening dress in semi-profile|[[Colin Davis]], musical director, 1961–65]]
By the late 1950s, Covent Garden was gradually abandoning its policy of productions in the vernacular; such singers as [[Maria Callas]] would not relearn their roles in English.<ref>Haltrecht, p. 216</ref> This made it easier for Tucker to point up the difference between the two London opera companies. While Covent Garden engaged international stars, Sadler's Wells focused on young British and Commonwealth performers. [[Colin Davis]] was appointed musical director in succession to Gibson in 1961.<ref>Blyth, pp. 13–15</ref> The repertoire continued to mix familiar and unfamiliar operas. Novelties in Davis's time included [[Ildebrando Pizzetti|Pizzetti]]'s ''[[Assassinio nella cattedrale|Murder in the Cathedral]]'', [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky]]'s ''[[Oedipus rex (opera)|Oedipus rex]]'', [[Richard Rodney Bennett]]'s ''[[The Mines of Sulphur]]'' and more Janáček.<ref>Blyth, pp. 14–15</ref> Sadler's Wells's traditional policy of giving all operas in English continued, with only two exceptions: ''Oedipus rex'', which was sung in Latin, and [[Claudio Monteverdi|Monteverdi]]'s ''[[L'Orfeo]]'', sung in Italian, for reasons not clear to the press.<ref>"Beauty and Truth in Orfeo", ''The Times'', 16 October 1965, p. 15, and Cole, Hugo. "Orfeo", ''The Guardian'', 7 July 1965, p. 7</ref> In January 1962, the company gave its first [[Gilbert and Sullivan]] opera, ''[[Iolanthe]]'', with [[Margaret Gale]] in the title role, on the day on which the [[Savoy operas]] came out of copyright and the [[D'Oyly Carte Opera Company|D'Oyly Carte]] monopoly ended.<ref>"Gilbert and Sullivan Out of Copyright", ''The Times'', 1 January 1962, p. 14, and "Savoy Opera Prospect in the New Era", ''The Times'', 5 January 1962, p. 4</ref> The production was well received (it was successfully revived for many seasons until 1978)<ref>"Entertainments", ''The Times'', 9 October 1978, p. 11</ref> and was followed by a production of ''[[The Mikado]]'' in May of the same year.<ref>"Fresh Thinking in G. & S. Operetta", ''The Times'', 31 May 1962, p. 16</ref>

The Islington theatre was by now clearly too small to allow the company to achieve any further growth.{{refn|By the 1960s, the seating capacity of the theatre had shrunk from its original 1,640 to 1,497.<ref>Gilbert, p. 219</ref>|group= n}} A study conducted for the Arts Council reported that in the late 1960s the two Sadler's Wells companies comprised 278 salaried performers and 62 guest singers.{{refn|44 principals on annual contracts, 62 guest singers, two choruses of 48, two opera-ballet dancing ensembles of 12, and two orchestras of 57 players.<ref name=goodman/>|group= n}} The company had experience of playing in a large West End theatre, such as its 1958 sell-out production of ''[[The Merry Widow]]'' that had transferred to the 2,351-seat [[London Coliseum]] for a summer season.<ref>"''Merry Widow'' at the Coliseum – an Occasion to Delight the Shade of Lehar", "The Times", 1 August 1958, p. 11</ref> Ten years later, the lease of the Coliseum became available.  Stephen Arlen, who had succeeded Tucker as managing director, was the primary advocate for moving the company.<ref name=t78/> After intense negotiations and fund-raising, a ten-year lease was signed in 1968.<ref>Goodman and Harewood, p. 12</ref> One of the company's last productions at the Islington theatre was Wagner's ''[[Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg|The Mastersingers]]'', conducted by Goodall in 1968, which 40 years later was described by ''[[Gramophone (magazine)|Gramophone]]'' magazine as "legendary".<ref>Ashman, Mike. "Wagner – Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg", ''Gramophone'', August 2008, p. 24</ref> The company left Sadler's Wells with a revival of the work with which it had re-opened the theatre in 1945, ''Peter Grimes''. Its last performance at the Rosebery Avenue theatre was on 15 June 1968.<ref name=t68>"Sadler's Wells policy to be maintained", ''The Times'', 29 April 1968, p. 13</ref>

===Coliseum===
The company, retaining the title "Sadler's Wells Opera", opened at the Coliseum on 21 August 1968, with a new production of Mozart's ''[[Don Giovanni]]'', directed by [[John Gielgud|Sir John Gielgud]].<ref name=t68/> Though this production was not well received, the company rapidly established itself with a succession of highly praised productions of other works.<ref name=t78/> Arlen died in January 1972, and was succeeded as managing director by [[George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood|Lord Harewood]].<ref>Widdicombe, Gillian. "Call me George", ''The Observer'', 23 July 1978, p. 19</ref>

The success of the 1968 ''Mastersingers'' was followed in the 1970s by the company's first ''[[Der Ring des Nibelungen|Ring]]'' cycle, conducted by Goodall, with a new translation by [[Andrew Porter (music critic)|Andrew Porter]] and designs by Ralph Koltai.  The cast included [[Norman Bailey (bass-baritone)|Norman Bailey]], [[Rita Hunter]] and [[Alberto Remedios]].<ref>[[Stanley Sadie|Sadie, Stanley]]. "Siegfried: a crowning triumph", ''The Times'', 10 February 1973</ref> In Harewood's view, among the highlights of the first ten years at the Coliseum were the ''Ring'', [[Sergei Prokofiev|Prokofiev]]'s ''[[War and Peace (opera)|War and Peace]]'', and [[Richard Strauss]]'s ''[[Salome (opera)|Salome]]'' and ''[[Der Rosenkavalier]]''.<ref name=t78/>
[[File:Sir Charles Mackerras.jpg|thumb|right|alt=left profile (head and shoulders) of elderly man in animated discussion|[[Charles Mackerras]], musical director 1970–77]]
The company's musical director from 1970 to 1977 was Charles Mackerras.<ref>"Groves for English National Opera", ''The Times'', 5 November 1975, p. 11</ref> Harewood praised his exceptional versatility, with a range "from ''[[From the House of the Dead|The House of the Dead]]'' to ''[[Patience (opera)|Patience]]''."<ref>Gilbert, p. 303</ref><ref>Blyth, Alan. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jul/15/sir-charles-mackerras-obituary "Sir Charles Mackerras – Obituary"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101200/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/jul/15/sir-charles-mackerras-obituary |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 15 July 2010</ref> Among the operas he conducted for the company were Handel's ''[[Giulio Cesare|Julius Caesar]]'' starring [[Janet Baker]] and [[Valerie Masterson]];<ref>Gilbert, p. 320</ref> five Janáček operas;<ref name=los/><ref>Gilbert, pp. 302, 303, 309 and 437</ref> ''The Marriage of Figaro'' with pioneering use of 18th century performing style;<ref>"A Fresh Look at Mozart", ''The Times'', 10 April 1965, p. 12</ref> [[Jules Massenet|Massenet]]'s ''[[Werther]]'';<ref>Gilbert, p. 301</ref> Donizetti's ''[[Maria Stuarda|Mary Stuart]]'' with Baker; and Sullivan's ''Patience''. The company took the production of the last to the [[Vienna Festival]] in 1975, along with Britten's ''[[Gloriana]]''.<ref>"Vienna's homage to Johann Strauss", ''The Times'', 13 January 1975, p. 10</ref>{{refn|Mackerras also conducted the company in performances of ''Gloriana'' and ''Patience'' at the [[The Proms|Proms]] in London in 1973 and 1976 respectively.<ref>Cox, pp. 224 and 244</ref>|group= n}} [[Charles Groves|Sir Charles Groves]] succeeded Mackerras as musical director from 1978 to 1979, but Groves was unwell and unhappy during his brief tenure.<ref>Gilbert, pp. 306–318</ref> Starting in 1979, [[Mark Elder]] succeeded Groves in the post, and described Groves "immensely encouraging and supportive".<ref>Gilbert, p. 316</ref>

A long-standing concern of Arlen and then Harewood was the need to change the company's name to reflect the fact that it was no longer based at Sadler's Wells theatre. Byam Shaw commented "The one major setback the Sadler's Wells Opera Company suffered from its transplant was that unheeding taxi drivers kept on taking their patrons up to Rosebery Avenue".<ref name=t78>Higgins, John. "At home in St Martin's Lane", ''The Times'', 20 July 1978. p. 9</ref>

Harewood considered it an elementary rule that "you must not carry the name of one theatre if you are playing in another one."<ref name=t78/> Covent Garden, protective of its status, objected to the suggestion that the Sadler's Wells company should be called "The British National Opera" or "The National Opera", although neither [[Scottish Opera]] nor the [[Welsh National Opera]] opposed such a change. Eventually the British government decided the matter, and the title "English National Opera" was approved. The company's board adopted the new name in November 1974.<ref>Blyth, Alan. "Victory for Sadler's Wells Opera over name", ''The Times'', 4 January 1974 p. 8</ref> In 1977, in response to demand for more opera productions in English provincial cities, a second company was established. It was based at [[Leeds]] in northern England, and was known as ENO North. Under Harewood's guidance, it flourished, and in 1981 it became an independent company, [[Opera North]].<ref>Gilbert, pp. 310–312</ref>

===ENO===

====1980–99====
In 1982, at Elder's instigation, Harewood appointed [[David Pountney]] director of productions. In 1985 Harewood retired, becoming chairman of ENO's board the following year.  [[Peter Jonas (director)|Peter Jonas]] succeeded Harewood as managing director. The 1980s leadership team of Elder, Pountney and Jonas became known as the "Powerhouse",{{refn|Sometimes given as "Power House" or "Power house": see the title of the 1992 book by Jonas, Elder and Pountney, ''Power house: the English National Opera experience''.<ref>Jonas, title page</ref>|group= n}} initiated a new era of "director's opera".<ref name=g403>Gilbert, p. 403</ref> The three of them favoured productions described, contrastingly, by Elder as "groundbreaking, risky, probing and theatrically effective",<ref>Gilbert, p. 319</ref> and by the director [[Nicholas Hytner]] as "Euro-bollocks that never has to be comprehensible to anybody but the people sitting out there conceiving."<ref name=g403/> Directors who did not, in Harewood's phrase, "want to splash paint in the face of the public" were sidelined.<ref>Gilbert, pp. 367 and 440</ref> A 1980s audience survey showed that the two things that ENO audiences most disliked were poor diction and the extremes of "director's opera".<ref>Gilbert, pp. 386–369</ref>

In the ''[[Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]'', Barry Millington has described the 'Powerhouse' style as "arresting images of dislocated reality, an inexhaustible repertory of stage contrivances, a determination to explore the social and psychological issues latent in the works, and above all an abundant sense of theatricality." As examples, Millington mentioned <blockquote>''[[Rusalka (opera)|Rusalka]]'' (1983), with its Edwardian nursery setting and Freudian undertones, and ''[[Hansel and Gretel (opera)|Hansel and Gretel]]'' (1987), its dream pantomime peopled by fantasy figures from the children's imagination  ... ''[[Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (opera)|Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District]]'' (1987) and ''[[Wozzeck]]'' (1990) exemplified an approach to production in which grotesque caricature jostles with forceful emotional engagement.<ref>Millington, Barry. [http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/49995 "Pountney, David"], ''Grove Music Online'', Oxford Music Online, accessed 12 June 2011 {{subscription}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101215/https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000049995;jsessionid=0C171EE0F4D2629C488F090EFD8EB2A0 |date=20 March 2021 }}</ref></blockquote>

Poor average box-office sales led to a financial crisis, exacerbated by backstage industrial relations problems.<ref>Gilbert, pp. 371–372</ref> After 1983, the company ceased touring to other British venues.<ref>Gilbert, p. 312</ref> Assessing the achievements of the 'Powerhouse' years, [[Tom Sutcliffe (opera critic)|Tom Sutcliffe]] wrote in ''[[The Musical Times]]'':

{{blockquote|ENO is not second best to Covent Garden. It is different, more theatrical, less vocal. ... The ENO now follows a policy like Covent Garden's in the early years after the war, when [[Peter Brook]] was scandalising the bourgeoisie with his opera stagings. The last two seasons at the ENO have been difficult, or at any rate sentiment has turned against the outgoing regime over the last nine months. Audience figures are well down. ... The presiding genius of the Elder years has, of course, been David Pountney. Not because his productions were all marvellous. Perhaps only a few were. But because, like Elder, he enabled so many other talents to thrive.<ref name=sutcliffe>Sutcliffe, Tom. [https://www.jstor.org/stable/1003054 "Elders and Betters. Tom Sutcliffe Says Farewell to the Departing ENO Administration, and Surveys Their Achievements"], ''The Musical Times'', June 1993, pp. 324–327 {{subscription}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101214/https://www.jstor.org/stable/1003054 |date=20 March 2021 }}</ref>{{refn| Sutcliffe added, "once Pountney was really settled in, the list of special events season by season was huge. I thought all three of [[Elijah Moshinsky]]'s ENO stagings, [[György Ligeti|Ligeti]]'s ''[[Le Grand Macabre|Grand macabre]]'', ''Mastersingers'', and ''Bartered bride'', excellent: a pity Moshinsky came to feel out of place at the Coliseum. Of Pountney's own stagings the best for me were his exuberant ''Valkyrie, Doctor Faust, Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, Hansel and Gretel, Falstaff, Macbeth'', and ''The Adventures of Mr Broucek''. In later revivals I came to appreciate his ''Queen of Spades'', ''Cunning Little Vixen'' and ''Rusalka'' (though white Edwardian clothes became hackneyed). [[Graham Vick]] ... ''Ariadne on Naxos, Madame Butterfly, Eugene Onegin, Rape of Lucretia'' and ''Figaro's Wedding'' were all very convincing. [[David Alden]] proved for me a constant winner, from ''Mazeppa'', to ''Simon Boccanegra'', to ''Masked Ball'', to ''Oedipus'' and ''Bluebeard'', to ''Ariodante''. I grew to love Miller's ''Mikado'' ... Nicholas Hytner's ''Xerxes'' and ''Rienzi'' were fabulous. ... Designers who were given their heads and delighted everybody included [[Stefanos Lazaridis]], [[Maria Björnson|Maria Bjornsen]], David Fielding, Richard Hudson, Nigel Lowery, [[Antony McDonald]] and Tom Cairns."<ref name=sutcliffe />|group= n}}|}}
Productions during the 1980s included the company's first presentations of ''[[Pelléas et Mélisande (opera)|Pelléas and Mélisande]]'' (1981), ''[[Parsifal]]'' (1986) and ''Billy Budd'' (1988). 1980s productions that remained in the repertory for many years included ''[[Serse|Xerxes]]'' directed by Hytner, and ''[[Rigoletto]]'' and ''The Mikado'' directed by [[Jonathan Miller]].<ref name=app/> In 1984 ENO toured the United States; the travelling company, led by Elder, consisted of 360 people; they performed ''Gloriana'', ''War and Peace'', ''[[The Turn of the Screw (opera)|The Turn of the Screw]]'', ''Rigoletto'' and ''Patience''. This was the first British company to be invited to appear at the [[Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center)|Metropolitan Opera]] in New York, where ''Patience'' received a standing ovation and Miller's production of ''Rigoletto'', depicting the characters as [[Sicilian Mafia|mafiosi]], was greeted with a mixture of enthusiasm and booing.<ref>Gilbert, p. 354</ref>{{refn|The opera commentator [[Peter Conrad (academic)|Peter Conrad]] described Miller's production of ''Rigoletto'' as "decorative opera, as superficial as its clothes",<ref>Conrad, p. 299</ref> but it was popular with audiences and was regularly revived between 1982 and 2006.<ref>Fisher, Neil. "Rigoletto", ''The Times'', 15 February 2006, "Times2", p. 17</ref>|group= n}} In 1990 ENO was the first major foreign opera company to tour the [[Soviet Union]], performing the Miller production of ''The Turn of the Screw'', Pountney's production of ''[[Macbeth (Verdi)|Macbeth]]'', and Hytner's much-revived ''Xerxes''.<ref>Worrall, Nick. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F925AD5B04CC604&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Some light relief from the West"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101224/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F925AD5B04CC604%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 11 June 1990, and [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F925ADC1EC866DD&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Could this be another triumph that I see before me? – ENO in Moscow"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101224/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F925ADC1EC866DD%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 16 June 1990.</ref>

The 'Powerhouse' era ended in 1992, when all three of the triumvirate left at the same time.<ref>Canning, Hugh. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F929B16A2E4956F&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Opera 's open minder – Peter Jonas"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101229/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F929B16A2E4956F%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Sunday Times'', 20 October 1991</ref> The new general director was [[Dennis Marks (music director)|Dennis Marks]], formerly head of music programmes at the [[BBC]], and the new music director was [[Sian Edwards]]. Pountney's post of director of productions was not filled.<ref>Morrison, Richard. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F91F1B604FE1E90&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Dark horses, bright hopes"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101243/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F91F1B604FE1E90%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 18 December 1991</ref> Marks, inheriting a large financial deficit from his predecessors, worked to restore the company's finances, concentrating on restoring ticket sales to sustainable levels. A new production by Miller of ''Der Rosenkavalier'' was a critical and financial success, as was a staging of Massenet's ''[[Don Quichotte|Don Quixote]]'', described by the critic Hugh Canning as "the kind of old-fashioned theatre magic which the hair-shirted Powerhouse regime despised".<ref>Canning, Hugh. "The popular touch", ''The Sunday Times'', 16 October 1994, p. 10</ref>

Marks was obliged to spend much time and effort in securing the funding for an essential restoration of the Coliseum, a condition on which the ENO had acquired the freehold of the theatre in 1992.<ref>Tait, Simon. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F91F353D2518F08&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "ENO buys theatre home] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101242/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F91F353D2518F08%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 18 March 1992</ref> At the same time the Arts Council was contemplating a cut in the number of opera performances in London, at the expense of ENO, rather than Covent Garden. By increasing ticket sales in successive years, Marks demonstrated that the Arts Council's proposition was unrealistic.{{refn|From 1993 to 1995, ticket sales rose from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.<ref>Gilbert, p. 478</ref>|group= n}} After what ''[[The Independent]]'' described as "a sustained period of criticism and sniping at the ENO by music critics", Edwards resigned as music director at the end of 1995.<ref>Lister, David. "ENO music director quits after criticism", ''The Independent'', 7 November 1995, p. 3</ref> [[Paul Daniel]] became ENO's next music director.<ref>Alberge, Dalya. "Daniel to be the ENO's music chief", ''The Times'', 23 February 1996, p. 6</ref> In 1997, Marks resigned. No official reason was announced, but one report stated that he and the ENO board had disagreed about his plans to move the company from the Coliseum to a purpose-built new home.<ref name=rmcm/> Daniel took over the management of the company until a new general director was appointed.<ref name=rmcm>Milnes, Rodney and Carol Midgley. "ENO chief quits after failing to get new opera house", ''The Times'', 20 September 1997, p. 10</ref>

Daniel inherited from Marks a company thriving artistically and financially. The 1997–1998 season played to 75 per cent capacity and made a surplus of £150,000.<ref>Gilbert, p. 500.</ref> Daniel led the campaign against yet another proposal to merge Covent Garden and ENO, which was rapidly abandoned.<ref name=g503/> In 1998 Nicholas Payne, director of opera at Covent Garden, was appointed as ENO's general director.<ref name=g503>Gilbert, p. 503</ref> Productions in the 1990s included the company's first stagings of ''[[Béatrice et Bénédict|Beatrice and Benedict]]'' (1990), ''Wozzeck'' (1990), ''[[Jenůfa]]'' (1994), ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera)|A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' (1995), ''[[Die Soldaten]]'' (1996), ''[[Doctor Ox's Experiment (opera)|Doctor Ox's Experiment]]'' (1998) and ''[[Dialogues of the Carmelites]]'' (1999).<ref name=app/> Co-productions, enabling opera houses to share the costs of joint enterprises, became important in this decade.  In 1993 ENO and Welsh National Opera collaborated on productions of ''[[Don Pasquale]]'', ''[[Ariodante]]'' and ''[[The Two Widows]]''.<ref name=app/>

====2000–2009====
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#F5F9FC |salign=right| quote = The aim must be to create a new audience that does not see opera as a middle class trophy art form: an audience that Payne was beginning to attract to the Coliseum.| source = Director [[Tim Albery]] and colleagues, ''The&nbsp;Times'',&nbsp;18&nbsp;July&nbsp;2002<ref name=letters1>[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=UKNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F9295DD2640C7E1&p_docnum=3&p_queryname=5 "Letters to the Editor"], ''The Times'', 18 July 2002, p. 23</ref>| align=right| width=33%}}
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#F5F9FC |salign=right| quote = Operagoers want to hear great singing and orchestral playing presented in the context of a work's ethos rather than in some form only comprehended by the director.| source = Critic [[Alan Blyth]], ''The Times'', 19 July 2002<ref name=letters2>[http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=UKNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0F9295E1603E0A56&p_docnum=4&p_queryname=5 "Letters to the Editor"], ''The Times'', 19 July 2002, p. 21</ref>| align=right| width=33%}}
Martin Smith, a millionaire with a finance background, was appointed chairman of the ENO board in 2001. He proved to be an expert fund-raiser, and personally donated £1M to the cost of refurbishing the Coliseum.<ref name=smith>Higgins, Charlotte. [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/16/arts.artsnews1?INTCMP=SRCH "The Guardian Profile: Martin Smith"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101219/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/16/arts.artsnews1?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 16 December 2005</ref> He and Payne came into conflict over the effect on revenue of the "director's opera" productions that Payne insisted on commissioning. The most extreme case was a production of ''Don Giovanni'' directed by [[Calixto Bieito]] in 2001, despised by critics and public alike; [[Michael Kennedy (music critic)|Michael Kennedy]] described it as "a new nadir in vulgar abuse of a masterpiece,"<ref>Gilbert, p. 521</ref> and other reviewers agreed with him.{{refn|In ''The Independent'', [[Edward Seckerson]] wrote, "It's been some time since I saw so much garbage on a stage. ... Bieito works so hard at trying to shock us that he succeeds only in boring us."<ref>Seckerson, Edward. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:TND1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=132A8CB900BA3BC8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Opera: Full of sound and fury signifying nothing"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101249/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/132A8CB900BA3BC8%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Independent'', 4 June 2001</ref> [[Rodney Milnes]] called the production "yawn-inducingly tedious ... crass and irrelevant to ENO's function ... navel-gazing rubbish".<ref>Milnes, Rodney. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F929EF1C437727E&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Shocking? No, just crude, nonsensical and boring – Opera"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101236/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F929EF1C437727E%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 2 June 2001</ref> In ''The Observer'', [[Fiona Maddocks]] wrote, "It was all so boring ... truly dispiriting.<ref>"Maddocks. Fiona [https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2001/jun/03/featuresreview.review3?INTCMP=SRCH "Desperate Don"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101243/https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2001/jun/03/featuresreview.review3?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Observer'', 3 June 2001</ref>|group= n}} Payne insisted, "I think it's one of the best things we've done. ... It's exceeded my expectations."<ref>Alberge, Dalya. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F929EF1C2FA67D4&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Sex and drugs raise passions at the opera"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101258/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F929EF1C2FA67D4%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 2 June 2001</ref> In the arts pages of ''[[Financial Times|The Financial Times]]'', Martin Hoyle wrote of Payne's "exquisite tunnel vision" and expressed "the concern of those of us who value the true people's opera".<ref>Hoyle, Martin. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:FINB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=113B84DD4FE62120&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "In search of gleams of adult intelligence"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101241/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/113B84DD4FE62120%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''[[Financial Times]]'', 24 April 1999</ref> Payne remained adamant that opera lovers who came to the ENO for a "nice, pleasant evening ... had come to the wrong place."<ref>Summerskill, Ben and Tom Sutcliffe. [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jul/21/arts.artsnews?INTCMP=SRCH "Opera chief to bring down curtain on shock tactic productions"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101232/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jul/21/arts.artsnews?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Observer'', 21 July 2002</ref> The differences between Smith and Payne became irreconcilable, and Payne was forced to resign in July 2002.<ref name=smith/>{{refn|The gap between what Payne offered and what the public wanted was illustrated by letters in ''The Times'' on consecutive days: [[Tim Albery]], [[Richard Jones (opera director)|Richard Jones]], [[Jude Kelly]], [[Phyllida Lloyd]], [[Deborah Warner]] and [[Francesca Zambello]], directors sympathetic to Payne, wrote:

<blockquote>The aim must be to create a new audience that does not see opera as a middle class trophy art form: an audience that Payne was beginning to attract to the Coliseum. ... We deplore the loss of this courageous and visionary man. Doubtless Nicholas Payne will soon rise again on the British arts scene and where he does we will follow. But ENO and its audiences will be the poorer for his forced departure.</blockquote>

Alan Blyth wrote:

<blockquote>Nicholas Payne's employment of directors who are often seemingly more concerned to indulge their egos in reinterpreting the operas they have been invited to direct than in fulfilling the wishes of the librettist and the composer has been the main reason for falling attendance at the London Coliseum. ... operagoers want to hear great singing and orchestral playing presented in the context of a work's ethos rather than in some form only comprehended by the director.<ref name=letters1/><ref name=letters2/></blockquote>|group= n}}

The successor to Payne was [[Séan Doran]], whose appointment was controversial because he had no experience of running an opera company.<ref>Reynolds, Nigel. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:DSTC&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F91EEB4CB521029&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Discord over the ENO's 'wacky' new director"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101236/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0F91EEB4CB521029%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 8 February 2003</ref> He attracted newspaper headlines with unusual operatic events, described by admirers as "unexpected coups" and by detractors as "stunts";<ref name=doran>Morrison, Richard. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=107A292698DEB852&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Gladiator at the Coliseum"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101303/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/107A292698DEB852%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 14 January 2005</ref> a performance of the third act of ''[[Die Walküre|The Valkyrie]]'' played to 20,000 [[rock music]] fans at the [[Glastonbury Festival]].<ref name=doran /> In December 2003, Daniel announced his departure from ENO at the end of his contract in 2005.<ref>Higgins, Charlotte. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:GRDC&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FF5288960E2E080&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "ENO music director to quit after 'distressing' shakeup: Daniel to bow out following salvage mission at company"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101242/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/0FF5288960E2E080%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 5 December 2003</ref> [[Oleg Caetani]] was announced as the next music director, from January 2006.<ref name=caetani>Higgins, Charlotte. [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/29/arts.artsnews?INTCMP=SRCH "ENO changes tune on music director"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101255/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/29/arts.artsnews?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 29 December 2005</ref>

In 2004, ENO embarked on its second production of Wagner's ''Ring''. After concert performances over the previous three seasons,<ref>Holden, Anthony [https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2003/nov/30/features.review77 "Sound girl in the Ring"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101235/https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2003/nov/30/features.review77 |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Observer'', 30 November 2003</ref> the four operas of the cycle were staged at the Coliseum in 2004 and 2005 in productions by [[Phyllida Lloyd]], with designs by [[Richard Hudson (stage designer)|Richard Hudson]], in a new translation by [[Jeremy Sams]].<ref>Holden, Anthony. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/apr/10/classicalmusicandopera1 "To Valhalla and back"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101223/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/apr/10/classicalmusicandopera1 |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Observer'', 10 April 2005</ref> The first instalments of the cycle were criticised as poorly sung and conducted, but by the time ''[[Götterdämmerung|Twilight of the Gods]]'' was staged in 2005, matters were thought to have improved: "Paul Daniel's command of the score is more authoritative than could have been predicted from his uneven accounts of the previous operas."<ref>Picard, Anna. [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/preformtwilight-of-the-godseno-coliseum-londonbranneliesroyal-philharmonica-orchestra-cadogan-hall-londonpreform-482761.html "Twilight of the Gods/ENO"]{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''The Independent on Sunday'', 10 April 2005</ref> The production attracted generally bad notices.{{refn|Reviewers' comments included: "the progress of Phyllida Lloyd's ongoing Ring Cycle for English National Opera has become almost painful to observe",<ref>Picard, Anna. [https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/siegfried-eno-the-coliseum-london-vacuum-cleaners-and-other-endangered-species-royal-festival-hall-london-the-second-mrs-kong-royal-festival-hall-london-20539.html "Siegfried/ENO"], ''The Independent on Sunday'', 14 November 2004</ref> "Miss Lloyd belongs to the school of opera directors who seem unable to cope with the epic grandeur of Wagner's concept",<ref>[[Michael Kennedy (music critic)|Kennedy, Michael]]. "ENO's everyday story of Rhineland folk", ''The Sunday Telegraph'', 14 November 2004, p. 8</ref> and "contains every cliche of 21st-century living".<ref>Fingleton, David. "A strangely sordid sort of Siegfried", ''The Express on Sunday'', 14 November 2004, p. 4</ref>|group= n}} The four operas were given individual runs, but were never played as a complete cycle.<ref>Gilbert, p. 556</ref>

[[File:Deborah Warner's production of Handel's Messiah for the ENO.jpg|thumb|alt=shot from theatre auditorium of performers grouped symmetrically on the stage|300px|left|''[[Messiah (Handel)|Messiah]]'', staged in 2009]]
During the 2000s the company repeated the experiment, previously tried in 1932,<ref name=wells/> of staging oratorios and other choral works as operatic performances. [[Johann Sebastian Bach|Bach]]'s ''[[St. John Passion]]'' was given in 2000, followed by Verdi's ''[[Requiem (Verdi)|Requiem]]'' (2000), [[Michael Tippett|Tippett]]'s ''[[A Child of Our Time]]'' (2005) and Handel's ''[[Jephtha]]'' (2005) and ''[[Messiah (Handel)|Messiah]]'' (2009).<ref name=app/><ref>Morrison, Richard. [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/opera/article6935916.ece "Messiah at the Coliseum"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101227/https://www.the-tls.co.uk/ |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 28 November 2009</ref> ENO responded to the increased interest in Handel's operas, staging ''[[Alcina]]'' (2002), ''[[Agrippina (opera)|Agrippina]]'' (2006) and ''[[Partenope]]'' (2008).<ref name=app/> In 2003 the company staged its first production of [[Hector Berlioz|Berlioz]]'s massive opera ''[[Les Troyens|The Trojans]]'', with [[Sarah Connolly]] as "a supremely eloquent, genuinely tragic Dido".<ref>Ashley, Tim. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/sep/28/classicalmusicandopera1?INTCMP=SRCH "The Trojans"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101249/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/sep/28/classicalmusicandopera1?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 28 September 2004</ref>

In 2005, after an internal debate that had been going on since 1991, the ENO announced that surtitles would be introduced at the Coliseum. Surveys had shown that only a quarter of audience members could hear the words clearly.<ref>Gilbert, p. 445</ref> With a few exceptions, including [[Lesley Garrett]] and [[Andrew Shore]],{{refn| Shore expressed his strong disapproval of surtitles for vernacular performances, and in a 2010 production of ''The Elixir of Love'' he insisted that the surtitles should be switched off during his delivery of Dulcamara's patter song.<ref>Seckerson, Edward. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:TND1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1325D8AF9048F5E8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "The Elixir of Love"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101239/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/1325D8AF9048F5E8%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Independent'', 17 February 2010</ref>|group= n}} ENO singers of the 21st century were considered to have poorer diction than earlier singers such as Masterson and [[Derek Hammond-Stroud]].<ref>Gilbert, p. 224, and Canning, Hugh. "Model conduct – Opera", ''The Sunday Times'', 11 September 2005, "Culture" section, p. 26</ref>{{refn|In 1984 ''[[The New York Times]]'' had expressed surprise at the clarity of diction of the ENO company in the Metropolitan Opera House, more than half as big again as the Coliseum (3,800 seats compared to 2,358).<ref>Henahan, Donal. [https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/23/theater/operetta-patience-by-british-group-at-met.html?scp=26&sq=Patience+AND+Metropolitan+Opera&st=nyt "Operetta: 'Patience,' by British Group at Met"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101228/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/23/theater/operetta-patience-by-british-group-at-met.html?scp=26&sq=Patience+AND+Metropolitan+Opera&st=nyt |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The New York Times'', 23 June 1984</ref>|group= n}} Harewood and Pountney had been immovably opposed to surtitles, as both believed that opera in English was pointless if it could not be understood.  Harewood thought, moreover, that surtitles could undermine the case for a publicly funded opera-in-English company.<ref>Gilbert, p. 557</ref> The editor of ''[[Opera (British magazine)|Opera]]'' magazine, [[Rodney Milnes]], campaigned against surtitles on the grounds that "singers would give up trying to articulate clearly and audiences would cease focusing on the stage".<ref>Gilbert, p. 466</ref> Despite these objections, surtitles were introduced from October 2005.<ref>Canning, Hugh. "Model conduct – Opera", ''The Sunday Times'', 11 September 2005, "Culture" section, p. 26</ref>

On 29 November 2005, Doran resigned as artistic director.<ref>Malvern, Jack. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10E3A252624D5388&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "ENO boss exits on a low note"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101242/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/10E3A252624D5388%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 30 November 2005.</ref> To replace him, Smith divided the duties between Loretta Tomasi as chief executive and [[John Berry (opera director)|John Berry]] as artistic director. These elevations from within the organisation were controversial, because they were neither advertised nor cleared at the top level of the Arts Council. Smith received severe press criticism for his action, and in December 2005 he announced his resignation.<ref>Higgins, Charlotte. [https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/22/arts.artsnews?INTCMP=SRCH "The final act: English National Opera chief quits and blames 'persistent hostility'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101307/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/22/arts.artsnews?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 22 December 2005</ref> In the same week, Caetani's appointment as the next ENO music director was cancelled.<ref>Malvern, Jack. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10ECEB4A2D823CF0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "ENO chief sacked before he starts"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101241/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/10ECEB4A2D823CF0%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }} ''The Times'', 29 December 2005</ref> Berry was at first criticised in the press for his choice of singers for ENO productions,<ref>Canning, Hugh. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LSTB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=10E7EB6DA8488BB8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Opera: Billy rides the storm"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101243/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/10E7EB6DA8488BB8%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Times'', 11 December 2005.</ref><ref>Christiansen, Rupert. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/03/15/baarts15.xml "The arts column: The man who is eroding ENO's identity"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101253/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/?xml=%2Farts%2F2006%2F03%2F15%2Fbaarts15.xml |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 15 March 2006</ref> but the appointment of [[Edward Gardner (conductor)|Edward Gardner]] as music director from 2007 received considerable praise. ''[[The Observer]]'' commented that Gardner was "widely credited with breathing fresh life into English National Opera".<ref>Hill, Amelia and Vanessa Thorpe. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/dec/13/young-faces-of-britains-orchestras?INTCMP=SRCH "Young faces on the podium are adding verve to Britain's orchestras"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101235/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/dec/13/young-faces-of-britains-orchestras?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Observer'', 13 December 2009</ref>

Attendance figures recovered, with younger audiences attracted by ENO's marketing schemes.<ref>[http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23557596-details/Under-30s+rush+for+cheap+seats+at+the+ENO/article.do "Under-30s rush for cheap seats at the ENO"], {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928102936/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23557596-details/Under-30s+rush+for+cheap+seats+at+the+ENO/article.do |date=28 September 2008 }} ''London Standard'', 19 September 2008</ref> The company's finances improved, with £5M in reserve funds in April 2009.<ref>Higgins, Charlotte. [https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2009/apr/03/english-national-opera-thriving-recession "Monsters and horror for thriving ENO"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101302/https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2009/apr/03/english-national-opera-thriving-recession |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 3 April 2009</ref>

====2010–present====
Productions in the 2011 season continued the company's traditions of engaging directors with no operatic experience (a well-reviewed ''[[The Damnation of Faust]]'' staged by [[Terry Gilliam]] and set in [[Nazi]] Germany)<ref>Christiansen, Rupert. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/8502174/The-Damnation-of-Faust-ENO-Coliseum-review.html "The Damnation of Faust, ENO, Coliseum"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101302/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/opera/8502174/The-Damnation-of-Faust-ENO-Coliseum-review.html |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 9 May 2011</ref> and of drastic reinterpretations (a version of Britten's ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' presented by [[Christopher Alden (director)|Christopher Alden]] as a [[paedophile]] parable set in a 1950s boys' school, which divided critical opinion).<ref>Clements, Andrew. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/20/midsummer-nights-dream-review "A Midsummer Night's Dream"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310024052/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/20/midsummer-nights-dream-review |date=10 March 2016 }}, ''The Guardian'', 20 May 2011</ref> In the 2012–13 season ENO introduced "Opera Undressed" evenings, aimed at attracting new audiences who had thought opera "Too pricey, too pompous, too posh".<ref name=undressed/> Operas advertised under this banner were ''Don Giovanni'', ''La traviata'', [[Michel van der Aa]]'s ''Sunken Garden'' (performed at the [[Barbican Centre|Barbican]]) and Philip Glass's ''The Perfect American''.<ref name=undressed>[http://www.eno.org/undress/undress.php "Opera Undressed"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007002837/http://www.eno.org/undress/undress.php |date=7 October 2012 }}, English National Opera, accessed 23 January 2012.</ref>

In January 2014, the ENO announced Gardner's departure as music director at the end of the 2014–15 season, to be succeeded by [[Mark Wigglesworth]].  At the time, the ENO had accumulated an £800,000 deficit, exacerbated by reductions in public subsidy; ''The Times'' commented that the incoming music director had a reputation for "steely, even abrasive determination" and that he would need it.<ref>Morrison, Richard. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=14B8529CB727C810&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BD Can the new gladiator at the Coliseum save the ENO?"], ''The Times'', 23 January 2014, pp. 8–9</ref> From late 2014 the company went through a further organisational crisis. The chairman, Martyn Rose, resigned after two years in the post, following irreconcilable differences with Berry. Henriette Götz, the company's executive director, who had a series of public disagreements with Berry, resigned soon after.<ref name=telegraph2015>Singh, Anita. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:DST1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1568404C9D9BB258&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "ENO director stands down after criticism"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101250/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/1568404C9D9BB258%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 11 July 2015, p. 9</ref> In February 2015, the Arts Council of England announced the unprecedented step of removing ENO from the national portfolio of 670 arts organisations that receive regular funding, and instead offered "special funding arrangements" because of continuing concerns over ENO's business plan and management. The council recognised that the company was "capable of extraordinary artistic work", but "we have serious concerns about their governance and business model and we expect them to improve or they could face removal of funding."<ref name=markbrown>Brown, Mark. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:EGLL&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=15377D0B14FDE6C0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA " English National Opera told to put its house in order"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101250/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/15377D0B14FDE6C0%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 13 February 2015, p. 3</ref> In March 2015 Cressida Pollock, a management consultant, was named the interim CEO of ENO.  In July 2015, Berry resigned as artistic director of ENO.<ref name=telegraph2015/>

Critical and box-office successes in the company's 2014–2015 season included ''The Mastersingers'', which won an [[Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production|Olivier Award]] for best new opera production, and '' [[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street|Sweeney Todd]]'', with [[Bryn Terfel]] in the title role.<ref>Singh, Anita. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:DST1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=154E359C4B184178&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA " Cash-strapped ENO opts to cut productions rather than orchestra"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101320/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/154E359C4B184178%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Independent'', 23 April 2015, p. 11</ref> New productions announced for 2015–2016 were ''[[Tristan und Isolde|Tristan and Isolde]]'', with sets by [[Anish Kapoor]]; the company's first staging of ''[[Norma (opera)|Norma]]''; and the first London performance for 30 years of '' [[Akhnaten (opera)|Akhnaten]]''.<ref>Clark, Nick. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:TND1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=154E2A6108B57E00&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA " ENO head vows to protect full-time musicians"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101252/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/154E2A6108B57E00%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Independent'', 23 April 2015; and [http://www.eno.org/whats-on?gclid=CjwKEAjwla2tBRDY7YK9uKXe8R8SJAAhG6LGx-f-p8diRBs2SxcPBi8d1MYgRUbnJEa08bcmCGkflRoCm7vw_wcB#ENO-Opera "What's On"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101244/https://eno.org/#ENO-Opera |date=20 March 2021 }}, English National Opera, accessed 19 July 2015</ref>

In September 2015, Pollock was elevated to formal full-time status as CEO for an additional three years, along with the formalised full appointment of [[Harry Brünjes]] as chairman of the ENO.  Shortly into his tenure, he expressed his disapproval of proposals by the ENO management for economising measures such as a reduction in the contract of the ENO chorus.<ref>Brown, Mark. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/03/eno-english-national-opera-new-year-offstage-turmoil "ENO's woes: opera company begins new year in offstage turmoil"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324102645/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/03/eno-english-national-opera-new-year-offstage-turmoil |date=24 March 2016 }}, ''The Guardian'', 3 January 2016</ref> On 27 February 2016 the ENO chorus had voted to take industrial action in protest at newly proposed contract reductions,<ref>Brown, Mark. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/26/choristers-english-national-opera-eno-vote-strike "Choristers at English National Opera vote to strike"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101301/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/26/choristers-english-national-opera-eno-vote-strike |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 26 February 2016</ref> but industrial action was averted on 18 March 2016 after a newly negotiated proposal, at a different level of reduced salary, was reached.<ref>Brown, Mark. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/18/english-national-opera-strike-threat-withdrawn-pay-deal-agreed "English National Opera strike threat withdrawn after pay deal agreed"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101237/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/18/english-national-opera-strike-threat-withdrawn-pay-deal-agreed |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 18 March 2016</ref> In general protest at his view of the situation at ENO, Wigglesworth announced his resignation on 22 March 2016 from the ENO music directorship, effective at the end of the 2015–2016 season.<ref name="BrownTilden">Brown, Mark and Imogen Tilden. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/22/eno-music-director-mark-wigglesworth-quits "ENO music director Mark Wigglesworth quits"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322191317/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/22/eno-music-director-mark-wigglesworth-quits |date=22 March 2016 }}, ''The Guardian'', 22 March 2016</ref><ref name="theguardian.com">Ellis-Petersen, Hannah. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/21/english-national-opera-appoints-martyn-brabbins-music-director "English National Opera names Martyn Brabbins as music director"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180502155011/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/oct/21/english-national-opera-appoints-martyn-brabbins-music-director |date=2 May 2018 }}, ''The Guardian'', 21 October 2016</ref>

On 29 April 2016, the ENO appointed Daniel Kramer as its new artistic director, effective 1 August 2016, Kramer's first appointment as director of an opera company.<ref>Brown, Mark. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/29/english-national-opera-appoints-daniel-kramer-artistic-director "English National Opera appoints Daniel Kramer as artistic director"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101238/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/apr/29/english-national-opera-appoints-daniel-kramer-artistic-director |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 29 April 2016</ref> On 21 October 2016, the ENO announced the appointment of [[Martyn Brabbins]] as its next music director, with immediate effect, with an initial contract through October 2020.<ref name="theguardian.com"/> In September 2017, the ENO announced that Pollock is to stand down as its chief executive in June 2018.<ref>[https://www.eno.org/news/cressida-pollock-enos-chief-executive-will-step-june-2018/ "Cressida Pollock, ENO's Chief Executive, will step down in June 2018"] {{webarchive|date=20 March 2021 | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101307/https://eno.org/news/cressida-pollock-enos-chief-executive-will-step-june-2018/}}, English National Opera, 21 September 2017</ref> In March 2018, ENO announced the appointment of [[Stuart Murphy]] as its next chief executive, effective 3 April 2018.<ref>[https://www.eno.org/news/english-national-opera-appoints-new-chief-executive/ "English National Opera appoints new Chief Executive"] {{webarchive|date=20 March 2021 | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101240/https://eno.org/news/english-national-opera-appoints-new-chief-executive/ }}, English National Opera, 8 March 2018</ref> In April 2019, ENO announced the resignation of Kramer as its artistic director, effective at the end of July 2019.<ref>[https://www.eno.org/news/daniel-kramer-to-step-down-as-english-national-operas-artistic-director/ "Daniel Kramer to step down as English National Opera's Artistic Director"] {{webarchive|date=20 March 2021 | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101246/https://eno.org/news/daniel-kramer-to-step-down-as-english-national-operas-artistic-director/ }}, English National Opera, 17 April 2019</ref> In October 2019, ENO announced the appointment of Annilese Miskimmon as its next artistic director, effective September 2020.<ref name=":0">[https://www.eno.org/news/annilese-miskimmon-appointed-as-english-national-operas-artistic-director/ "Annilese Miskimmon appointed as English National Opera's Artistic Director"] {{webarchive|date=20 March 2021 | url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101246/https://eno.org/news/annilese-miskimmon-appointed-as-english-national-operas-artistic-director/}}, English National Opera, 8 October 2019</ref> In October 2022, ENO announced that Stuart Murphy would leave the company as Chief Executive in September 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ENO announces departure of Stuart Murphy, CEO, in September 2023 {{!}} News |url=https://www.eno.org/news/eno-announces-departure-of-stuart-murphy-ceo-in-september-2023/ |access-date=2022-10-19 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In December 2018, ENO started offering free balcony tickets for Under 18s on Saturdays<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-18 |title=English National Opera launches free tickets for Under 18s |url=https://www.eno.org/news/english-national-opera-launch-free-tickets-for-under-18s/ |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=English National Opera |language=en-US}}</ref> in an attempt to engage more young people with the opera. This scheme was expanded to Under 21s in 2021 to cover performances throughout the week, with free seats in all parts of the audiotorium.<ref>{{Cite web |title=English National Opera expands free ticketing scheme to under-21s |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/english-national-opera-expands-free-ticketing-scheme-to-under-21s |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=The Stage |language=En}}</ref>

In November 2022, [[Arts Council England]] removed ENO from its National Portfolio, effectively cutting its income by £12.5 million a year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-04 |title=ENO to relocate as arts funding diverted away from London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2022/nov/04/eno-to-relocate-as-arts-funding-is-diverted-away-from-london |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ENO and Donmar cut in latest ACE funding round |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/eno-and-donmar-cut-in-latest-ace-funding-round |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=The Stage |language=En}}</ref> ENO initially responded with a statement that it was looking forward to 'creating a new base out of London, potentially in Manchester'<ref>{{Cite web |title=A new chapter for ENO {{!}} News |url=https://www.eno.org/news/a-new-chapter-for-eno/ |access-date=2022-11-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> in line with suggestions by the Arts Council. ENO later shared a petition to have its funding reinstated and to retain its London base at The London Coliseum.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ENO want to work with DCMS and ACE {{!}} News {{!}} ENO |url=https://www.eno.org/news/eno-want-to-work-with-dcms-and-ace/ |access-date=2022-11-25 |language=en-US}}</ref> In January 2023, ACE and ENO released a joint statement that funding had been reinstated through to 2024, with an aim to "sustain a programme of work at the ENO’s home the London Coliseum, and at the same time help the ENO start planning for a new base outside London by 2026."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joint statement from Arts Council England and the English National Opera |url=https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/creative-matters/news/joint-statement-arts-council-england-and-english-national-opera |access-date=2023-05-21 |website=Arts Council England |language=en}}</ref> In October 2023, Martyn Brabbins resigned as music director of ENO, with immediate effect, in protest at proposed personnel reductions to the company's music staff.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.eno.org/news/a-statement-from-the-eno-regarding-martyn-brabbins-resignation/ | title=A statement from the ENO regarding Martyn Brabbins' resignation | publisher=English National Opera | date=15 October 2023 | accessdate=2023-10-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/oct/15/enos-music-director-resigns-over-proposed-cuts-to-music-staff | title=ENO’s music director resigns over proposed cuts to musical staff positions | work=The Guardian | author=Imogen Tilden | date=2023-10-15 | accessdate=2023-10-18}}</ref> Two months later, ENO announced the planned establishment of a "main base" in [[Greater Manchester]] by 2029.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mukisa |first=Shirley |date=2023-12-05 |title=ENO and Greater Manchester announce plans for new home in city region |url=https://www.eno.org/news/eno-and-greater-manchester-announce-plans-for-new-home-in-city-region/ |access-date=2023-12-05 |website=English National Opera |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Higgins |first=Charlotte |date=2023-12-05 |title=‘This could be really interesting’: Manchester and English National Opera may yet suit each other |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/05/manchester-may-yet-suit-english-national-opera-eno |access-date=2023-12-05 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Jenny Mollica became interim chief executive officer (CEO) of the company in August 2023.  In May 2024, ENO elevated Mollica to the post of its full CEO with immediate effect.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.eno.org/news/jenny-mollica-announced-as-chief-executive-of-eno-and-london-coliseum/ | title=Jenny Mollica announced as Chief Executive of ENO and London Coliseum | publisher=English National Opera | date=21 May 2024 | accessdate=2024-05-24}}</ref>  In May 2025, ENO announced the appointment of [[André de Ridder]] as its next music director, effective with the 2027-2028 season, and with the title of music director-designate as of September 2025.<ref>{{cite press release | url=https://www.eno.org/about/whos-who/management-team/eno-today-announces-the-appointment-of-andre-de-ridder-as-music-director/ | title=ENO announces the appointment of André de Ridder as Music Director | publisher=English National Opera | date=14 May 2025 | accessdate=2024-05-24}}</ref>

==Repertoire==
[[File:Philip-glass-by-origa.jpg|thumb|upright|ENO has presented and premiered several [[Philip Glass]] operas]]
The company has aimed to present the standard operatic repertoire, sung in English, and has staged all the major operas of Mozart, Wagner and Puccini, and a wide range of Verdi's operas. Under Mackerras and his successors the Czech repertoire has featured strongly, and a broad range of French and Russian operas has been presented.<ref name=app/> The company has for decades laid stress on opera as drama, and has avoided operas where vocal display takes precedence over musical and dramatic content.<ref name=app/> In addition to the operatic staples, ENO has a history of presenting new works, and latterly of commissioning them.

===Commissions and premieres===
{{Main|English National Opera commissions and premieres}}
ENO has commissioned more than a dozen operas by composers including [[Gordon Crosse]], [[Iain Hamilton (composer)|Iain Hamilton]], [[Jonathan Harvey (composer)|Jonathan Harvey]], [[Alfred Schnittke]], [[Gavin Bryars]], [[David Sawer]], [[Asian Dub Foundation]] and [[Nico Muhly]].<ref name=app/> The company's best known world premiere was ''Peter Grimes'' in 1945. Subsequent world premieres have included ''The Mines of Sulphur'' (1965), ''[[The Mask of Orpheus]]'' (1986), ''[[The Silver Tassie (opera)|The Silver Tassie]]'' (1999), and works by [[Malcolm Williamson]], Iain Hamilton, [[David Blake (composer)|David Blake]], [[Robin Holloway]], [[Julian Anderson]] and [[Stephen Oliver (composer)|Stephen Oliver]].<ref name=app/><ref>Service, Tom [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/31/nico-muhly-two-boys?INTCMP=SRCH  "Nico Muhly: Strings and stabbings"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101237/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/31/nico-muhly-two-boys?INTCMP=SRCH |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 31 May 2011</ref> British stage premieres include operas by Verdi (''[[Simon Boccanegra]]'', 1948), Janáček (''Káťa Kabanová'', 1951), Stravinsky (''Oedipus rex'', 1960), Prokofiev (''War and Peace'', 1972) and Philip Glass (''Akhnaten'', 1985, among others).<ref name=app/>

===Operetta and musicals===
From the beginning, the company interspersed serious opera with lighter works. In the early years the "''Irish Ring''" (''[[The Bohemian Girl]]'', ''[[The Lily of Killarney]]'' and ''[[Maritana]]'') featured in Old Vic and Sadler's Wells seasons.<ref>Schafer, p. 103</ref> After the Second World War, the company began to programme operetta, including ''The Merry Widow'' (1958), ''[[Die Fledermaus]]'' (1958), ''[[Orpheus in the Underworld]]'' (1960), ''[[Merrie England (opera)|Merrie England]]'' (1960), ''[[La Vie parisienne (operetta)|La Vie parisienne]]'' (1961), ''[[La belle Hélène]]'' (1963), and ''[[The Gypsy Baron|The Gipsy Baron]]'' (1964).<ref name=app>Gilbert, Appendix 2, pp. 590–604</ref>

The company has produced most of Gilbert and Sullivan's [[Savoy opera]]s. After the successful ''Iolanthe'' and ''The Mikado'' in 1962 and ''Patience'' in 1969, the last much revived in the UK, the U.S. and on the continent, a second production of ''The Mikado'' in 1986 starred the comedian [[Eric Idle]] in a black-and-white setting moved to a 1920s English seaside hotel.{{refn| The production was directed by Jonathan Miller, despite his declared "contempt for Gilbert and Sullivan ... boring, self-satisfied English drivel."<ref>Walker, Tim. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/7934762/Sir-Jonathan-Miller-says-Gilbert-and-Sullivan-is-Ukip-set-to-music.html Sir Jonathan Miller says Gilbert and Sullivan is 'Ukip set to music'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101245/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-news/7934762/Sir-Jonathan-Miller-says-Gilbert-and-Sullivan-is-Ukip-set-to-music.html |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 10 August 2010</ref>|group= n}} It has been regularly revived over 25 years.<ref name=Guardianobit>O'Connor, Patrick. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/dec/10/richard-van-allan-obituary "Versatile bass whose opera career spanned more than 40 years"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402152447/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2008/dec/10/richard-van-allan-obituary |date=2 April 2019 }}, ''The Guardian'', 10 December 2008</ref> A 1992 production of ''[[Princess Ida]]'' directed by [[Ken Russell]] was a critical and box office disaster, ran briefly, and was not revived.<ref>Gilbert, p. 454</ref> ''[[The Pirates of Penzance]]'' was produced in 2005.<ref name=g555>Gilbert pp. 555 and 567</ref> A highly coloured production of ''[[The Gondoliers]]'' opened in 2006; the press pointed out that the company's diction had declined to the point that the recently introduced surtitles were essential.<ref name=g555/> In 2015 the film director [[Mike Leigh]] directed a new production of ''The Pirates of Penzance''; the critical consensus was disappointment that Leigh had chosen one of the supposedly weaker operas in the Savoy canon,<ref>Clements, Andrew. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:EGLL&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=155426A0E9152A88&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "The Pirates of Penzance review"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101247/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/155426A0E9152A88%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Guardian'', 11 May 2015, p. 14; Christiansen, Rupert. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:DST1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=1554246EAF087F30&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA "Mike Leigh's operatic debut is jolly good - but will it pull the crowds?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101248/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/1554246EAF087F30%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Daily Telegraph'', 11 May 2015, p. 27; Church, Michael. [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:UKNB:TND1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=155418F2E85852C8&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=102CDD40F14C6BDA  "Leigh debut is fresh and witty, but it's no Mikado"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101249/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/user/login?destination=document-view%3Fp%3DAWNB%26docref%3Dnews/155418F2E85852C8%26f%3Dbasic |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The Independent'', 11 May 2015; and Coghlan, Alexandra. [http://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/opera/9527082/do-you-see-me-laughing-mike-leighs-pirates-of-penzance-at-the-eno-reviewed/ "Do you see me laughing? Mike Leigh’s Pirates of Penzance at the ENO reviewed"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101243/https://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/opera/9527082/do-you-see-me-laughing-mike-leighs-pirates-of-penzance-at-the-eno-reviewed/ |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''[[The Spectator]]'', 16 May 2015</ref> but the show provided a box-office hit.<ref>White, Michael. [https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/12/arts/music/pirates-of-penzance-gives-lift-to-english-national-opera.html?_r=0 "'Pirates of Penzance' Gives Lift to English National Opera"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101313/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/12/arts/music/pirates-of-penzance-gives-lift-to-english-national-opera.html?_r=0 |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''The New York Times'', 11 May 2015]</ref> The cinema live broadcast of the production broke all previous box-office records for UK opera cinema-event releases.<ref>Rosser, Michael. [http://www.screendaily.com/news/mike-leighs-pirates-of-penzance-breaks-box-office-records/5088829.article "Mike Leigh's 'Pirates of Penzance' breaks box office records"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320101315/https://www.screendaily.com/news/mike-leighs-pirates-of-penzance-breaks-box-office-records/5088829.article |date=20 March 2021 }}, ''Screen Daily'', 21 May 2015</ref> [[Cal McCrystal]] directed ''Iolanthe'' (2018) and ''[[H.M.S. Pinafore]]'' (2021).<ref>Maddocks, Fiona. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/nov/06/the-week-in-classical-hms-pinafore-english-national-opera-coliseum-12-ensemble-kings-place-review "The week in classical: ''H.M.S. Pinafore''; 12 Ensemble – review"], ''The Guardian'', 6 November 2021</ref> The company produced ''[[The Yeomen of the Guard]]'' in 2022.<ref>[[Michael Billington (critic)|Billington, Michael]]. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/nov/04/english-national-opera-the-yeomen-of-the-guard-review-gilbert-and-sullivan-opera-coliseum-london "''The Yeomen of the Guard review – tonal uncertainties but G&S update has plenty to enjoy"], ''The Guardian'', November 4, 2022</ref>

From the 1980s the company has experimented with [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] shows, including ''[[Pacific Overtures]]'' (1987), ''[[Street Scene (opera)|Street Scene]]'' (1989), ''[[On the Town (musical)|On the Town]]'' (2005), ''[[Kismet (musical)|Kismet]]'' (2007), and ''[[Candide (operetta)|Candide]]'' (2008).<ref name=app/> In many of ENO's lighter shows, the size of the Coliseum has been a problem, both in putting across pieces written for much more intimate theatres and in selling enough tickets.<ref>Gilbert, p. 405</ref> In 2015 a new business plan for the ENO included making money from a West End musical partnership with the impresarios [[Michael Grade]] and Michael Linnit.<ref name=markbrown/>

==Recordings==
Recordings of individual scenes and numbers were made by Sadler's Wells singers from the company's earliest days. In 1972 an LP set was issued bringing together many of these recordings, prefaced with a tribute to Lilian Baylis recorded in 1936. Among the singers in the set are Joan Cross, [[Heddle Nash]], Edith Coates, [[Joan Hammond]], Owen Brannigan, Peter Pears, [[Peter Glossop]] and [[Charles Craig (tenor)|Charles Craig]]. The conductors include Lawrance Collingwood, Reginald Goodall and Michael Mudie.<ref>Blyth, Alan. "Historical Stars of The Old Vic and Sadler's Wells", ''[[Gramophone (magazine)|The Gramophone]]'', November 1972, p. 126</ref>

After the Second World War, the Sadler's Wells company made a 78 r.p.m. set of excerpts from ''Simon Boccanegra'' (1949),<ref>Robertson, Alec. "Opera", ''The Gramophone'', January 1949, p. 9</ref> but made no more recordings until the stereo LP era. In the 1950s and 1960s, the company recorded a series of abridged sets of operas and operettas for [[EMI Records|EMI]], each occupying two LP sides. All were sung in English. The opera sets were ''Madame Butterfly'' (1960),<ref>Blyth, Alan.  "Puccini – Madama Butterfly – excerpts", ''The Gramophone'', March 1972, p. 118</ref> ''[[Il trovatore]]'' (1962),<ref>Blyth, Alan.  "Il Trovatore", ''Gramophone'', January 1977, p. 66</ref> and ''Hansel and Gretel'' (1966).<ref>Hope-Wallace, Philip.  Review, ''The Gramophone'', December 1966, p. 88</ref> The abridged operetta recordings were ''Die Fledermaus'' (1959), ''The Merry Widow'' (1959), ''[[The Land of Smiles]]'' (1960), ''La vie parisienne'' (1961), ''Orpheus in the Underworld'' (1960), ''Iolanthe'' (1962), ''La belle Hélène'' (1963) and ''The Gypsy Baron'' (1965).<ref>[[Andrew Lamb (writer)|Lamb, Andrew]]. "Operetta at the Wells", ''Gramophone'', January 1981, p. 87</ref><ref name=wac>Chislett, W. A. "Sullivan – The Mikado", ''The Gramophone'', October 1962, p. 57</ref> A complete recording of ''The Mikado'' was released in 1962.<ref name=wac/>

Excerpts from the company's ''Twilight of the Gods'' were recorded in German under Mackerras (1972) and in English under Goodall (1973).<ref>Greenfield, Edward.  Review, ''The Gramophone'', August 1972, p. 86, and Warrack, John.  Review, ''The Gramophone'', July 1973, p. 78</ref> EMI recorded the complete ''Ring'' cycle during public performances at the Coliseum between 1973 and 1977.{{refn| ''The Rhinegold'': 10, 19, 25 and 29 March 1975; ''The Valkyrie'': 18, 20 and 23 December 1975; ''Siegfried'': 2, 8 and 21 August 1973;  ''Twilight of the Gods'': 6, 13 and 27 August 1977|group= n}} [[Chandos Records]] has since reissued the cycle on CD,<ref>Chandos catalogue, p. 197</ref> and also produced the first official release of a live 1968 recording of the company's ''The Mastersingers'', in a 2008 release.<ref>Ashman, Mike. "Wagner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg", ''Gramophone'', August 2008, p. 84</ref>

In the CD era, ENO was featured as part of a series of operatic recordings, sung in English, released by Chandos Records. Some were reissues of Sadler's Wells Opera or ENO recordings originally issued by EMI: ''Mary Stuart'' (recorded in 1982) and ''Julius Caesar'' (1985), both starring Janet Baker, and ''[[La traviata]]'' (1981), starring Valerie Masterson.<ref>Chandos catalogue, pp. 51, 79 and 191</ref> Newer recordings, made specifically for the Chandos series, whilst having no official connection with the ENO, featured many past and present members of the company. Conductors include Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Mark Elder and Paul Daniel. Those in which the chorus and orchestra of the ENO appear are ''[[Lulu (opera)|Lulu]]'', ''[[The Makropulos Affair (opera)|The Makropoulos Affair]]'', ''Werther'', ''Dialogues of the Carmelites'', ''[[The Barber of Seville]]'', ''Rigoletto'', ''[[Ernani]]'', ''[[Otello]]'' and ''[[Falstaff (opera)|Falstaff]]'', as well as the live recordings of ''The Ring'' and ''The Mastersingers''.<ref>Chandos catalogue, pp. 25, 95, 110, 128, 148, 190 and 191</ref>

==Education==
In 1966, under the company's head of design, [[Margaret Harris]], Sadler's Wells Theatre Design Course was founded; it later became [[Motley Theatre Design Course]].<ref>Gilbert, p. 174</ref> ENO Baylis, founded in 1985, is the education department of the ENO; it aims to introduce new audiences to opera and "to deepen and enrich the experience of current audiences in an adventurous, creative and engaging manner."<ref name=enob>[http://www.eno.org/explore/about-eno/learning-and-participation/eno-baylis.php "About ENO Baylis"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720230059/http://www.eno.org/explore/about-eno/learning-and-participation/eno-baylis.php |date=20 July 2011 }}, English National Opera, accessed 3 June 2011</ref> The programme offers training for students and young professionals, and also workshops, commissions, talks and debates, which is now called ENO Engage.<ref name=enob/>

==Musical directors==
*[[Charles Corri]] (1898–1935)
*[[Lawrance Collingwood]] (chief conductor, 1931–1941, musical director 1941–1946)
*[[James Robertson (conductor)|James Robertson]] (1946–1954)
*[[Alexander Gibson (conductor)|Alexander Gibson]] (1957–1959)
*[[Colin Davis]] (1961–1965)
*[[Mario Bernardi]] (1966–1968) and [[Bryan Balkwill]] (1966–1969), joint musical directors
*[[Charles Mackerras]] (1970–1977)
*[[Charles Groves|Sir Charles Groves]] (1978–1979)

==Music directors==
* [[Mark Elder]] (1979–1993)
* [[Sian Edwards]] (1993–1995)
* [[Paul Daniel]] (1997–2005)
* [[Edward Gardner (conductor)|Edward Gardner]] (2007–2015)
* [[Mark Wigglesworth]] (2015–2016)
* [[Martyn Brabbins]] (2016–2023)
* [[André de Ridder]] (designate, effective autumn 2027)

==Artistic directors==
* [[John Berry (opera director)|John Berry]] (2005&ndash;2015)
* [[Daniel Kramer]] (2016&ndash;2020)
* [[Annilese Miskimmon]] (2020–present)<ref name=":0" />

==Notes, references and sources==

===Notes===
{{Reflist|group=n|colwidth=24em}}

===References===
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book | last=Banks| first=Paul| year=2000| title=The Making of Peter Grimes: Essays and Studies| location=Woodbridge| publisher=Boydell Press | isbn=0-85115-791-2 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book | last=Blyth | first=Alan | year=1972 | title=Colin Davis | location=London | publisher=Ian Allan | oclc=641971554 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last=Chandos Records |year=2009 |title=Chandos catalogue 2009 |location=London |publisher=Chandos Records |url=http://www.chandos.net/ChandosCatalogue2009Small.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110822172914/http://www.chandos.net/ChandosCatalogue2009Small.pdf |archive-date=22 August 2011 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book | last=Conrad | first=Peter | year=1987 | title=A Song of Love and Death – The Meaning of Opera | location=London | publisher=Chatto and Windus | isbn=0-7011-3274-4 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book | last=Cox | first=David | title=The Henry Wood Proms | location=London | publisher=BBC | year=1980 | isbn=0-563-17697-0 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book|last=Gilbert |first= Susie|year=2009 |title=Opera for Everybody: The Story of English National Opera|location=London |publisher=Faber and Faber |isbn= 978-0-571-22493-7 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book|last=Goodman |first=Lord |author2=Lord Harewood|year=1969 |title= A Report on Opera and Ballet in the United Kingdom, 1966–69|location=London |publisher= Arts Council of Great Britain|oclc= 81272 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |last= Haltrecht |first= Montague |year= 1975 |title= The Quiet Showman: Sir David Webster and the Royal Opera House |location= London |publisher= Collins |isbn= 0-00-211163-2 |url-access= registration |url= https://archive.org/details/quietshowmansird00halt 
 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book | last= Jonas | first= Peter |author2=Mark Elder |author3=David Pountney | year= 1992 | title= Power house: the English National Opera experience | location=London | publisher= Lime Tree | isbn= 0-413-45631-5 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book | last=Schafer | first=Elizabeth | year= 2006 | title=Lilian Baylis: A Biography | location=Hatfield | publisher=University of Hertfordshire Press| isbn=1-902806-64-6 |ref=none}}

==External links==
* [http://www.eno.org/ Official website of English National Opera]
* [https://www.eno.org/about/history-of-eno/ ENO history]

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